A Sister's Love
by iHateFridays
Summary: Arashi Kageyama is the younger adoptive sister of Shigeo and Ritsu Kageyama. Rescued by Shigeo when she was young, she is now 'protecting' him to return the favour, and tends to get involved in all of his adventures. She does not know who her real family is, and when she finds out, she realises things are a lot more complicated than she thought... OC AU story. Cover by me. COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey guys! Yet another stupid fanfic here. ;p I watched the anime (and read the manga) and fell in love, so here's this! Hope you guys like it. :3 There might be swearing, or I might cut it out, still deciding lol. I can never create something quite as good as ONE did, but I'll try my hardest. The story of MP100 is really different from other things I've seen, and pretty hard to follow. I'll try my best to respect the original content here while adding my own thing. Could be hard... aside from that, feel free to follow me on my deviantART, iHateFridays, or Tumblr, fridayhater, for some art for this story. Okay bye lol**

* * *

The wind was howling, while a light drizzle of rain splattered against the pavements. The streets were dark, cold, and missing the buzz and life of a crowd. Only a single young girl was outside, her messy, red hair whipping against her cold, tear-soaked cheeks. Her gray, oversized shirt was flapping in the wind like a flag. She had nothing on her, no money, no food. Nothing except a small ukulele. The only thing she had from her family. She didn't know anything else about them.

The girl was running. She had no track of where she was, and she didn't care. She just wanted to escape. She didn't even look back.

Yet, she was getting tired. How much further could she run? She was so young, so fragile…

"Hey, you!"

The girl jumped at the voice, and then kept running. There wasn't anyone she could trust here. No one but herself.

"Where do you think you're going?" a rough voice snapped. A tall figure stepped in front of the girl; it belonged to a teenage boy. But he didn't look friendly.

"What's a kid like you doing out all by yourself?" he asked, with a condescending tone.

The girl didn't reply. She was too scared.

"You shouldn't be out here," the boy said. He smiled, but it was a sick smile. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."

The girl saw the signs and stood up, backing away. The boy grunted and charged towards her, holding out his meaty fists. The girl, clenching onto her ukulele, ran back, only to crash into a wall.

The teenager kept that grin on his face. "Nowhere for you to run." He began walking towards her. "Now, kid-"

"Excuse me."

Both the girl and the teenager looked up. A boy, around the girl's age, was standing there. The rain, for some reason, wasn't hitting him; instead, it parted around him like the Red Sea. He had a bowl-style haircut and a blank slate.

"Another kid, huh?" the teen laughed. "Whaddya want, punk?"

"You shouldn't hurt t-that girl," the young boy said, trembling despite the rain not hitting him. "It's not nice to attack girls."

The teenager just laughed. "Oh, no, I'm terrified!" He put his palm in his fist. "I'll show you what happens to kids who interrupt me!"

The little boy held up his hands in fright. "Wait, don't-"

A burst of energy suddenly erupted from the boy. It exploded towards the teenager, sending him flying into a building. The crash could be heard from a mile away.

"Oh no," the young boy fretted. "I-I didn't mean to…"

"That was so cool!" the girl said, looking at him. "You saved me!"

"I, uh," the boy looked embarrassed. "Um, I guess I did. I didn't want to hurt him, though."

"You have powers," the girl said, eyes shining. "_So_ cool."

"Not really…" the boy frowned. "I can't control them…"

"You can learn," the girl insisted. She stood up. "We should get out of here before he gets up. I don't want him to break _Kumo_."

"_Kumo_?" the boy asked.

"My ukulele." the girl said. She and the boy ran away, the boy using his powers to stop them getting covered in rain.

"So," the girl said, after a while. "What's your name?"

"Shigeo Kageyama," the boy said. "B-but my friends call me Mob."

"I'm Arashi," the girl said. She frowned. "I don't remember my last name."

"Arashi…" Mob said. "Do you have… somewhere to go?"

"Not really," Arashi shrugged. "I don't remember my family."

"Oh," Mob said, staring at his hands. "Do… do you want to… come with me?"

Arashi brightened up. "R-really?"

Mob nodded.

"Okay, Shigeo," Arashi said. "I'll come with you."


	2. Introduction

**Glad you guys like it so far! Here's chapter two. :3**

**Also! You can pretend everyone's speaking in Japanese and not English. ;p I don't know how to speak Japanese so I'm just going with English here... **

* * *

Hey there.

My name is Arashi Kageyama. I'm 13 years old. I live in this place called Spice City and attend a school called Salt Middle School. Why everything is named after seasonings, I really don't know.

I have bright red, shoulder-length hair with a small plait on the right side and a teeny ponytail on the left. My eyes are blue. I have a tattoo on my right shoulder, that's a fancy-looking kanji on a triangle. Usually I wear casual clothes like jeans and stuff, or a shirt for my band, Paranormal Investigation. Or my lame school uniform. It's a sailor girl's uniform, basically. Mine has a few tears here and there, and my skirt is kind of ripped. But it makes me look cool, so I don't care really. I usually have my ukulele, _Kumo_, with me. Don't ask why, it's a sentimental thing.

I live with my two older brothers and my parents. They aren't my biological family, but I don't remember my real family at all. Only a few flashes of light and stuff, like I'm Harry Potter or something. And hey, you don't need to be biologically related to be siblings, right?

My life seems pretty normal. I'm captain of the karate team. I got that title after I kicked the former captain in the nuts after he wouldn't let me join. I play guitar. I'm in a band called Paranormal Investigation, with two other guys. Oh and my brother is an esper. A powerful esper.

_What's an esper_, you may be asking. Basically, it's someone with psychic powers who kicks butt and kills evil spirits. Well, I wouldn't call Shigeo _intimidating_, unless he gets pissed of course and starts doing crazy things. Most of the time, he's harmless and gentle. But seriously, he's super powerful.

I'm no esper. I'm just a normal kid. I don't want to come off as defenceless though, especially since people think I'm a wimp just because I'm a girl, I guess. That's why I took up karate.

Maybe my grades aren't top quality, but hey, I don't care about learning algebra or whatever. I'm going to be a rock star. Paranormal Investigation is going to be super popular!

Right now, I was just chilling at my favourite noodle bar. The owner knew me so well that sometimes he gave me discounts. He wasn't there so I didn't get any (sadly). Shigeo (aka Mob), my older brother, was with me. He's not just my brother. He's also my best friend. Compared to him, no one and nothing else matters to me. He's not a talkative guy (or very emotional), but it's because of his powers. If he gets too emotional, he can hurt a lot of people. He was more emotional when he was younger, but then… something happened, and he changed after that.

Anyone who harasses him is going to get it from me. That's my sacred oath.

We spend most of our time together, as well. Aside from when I'm doing band stuff or karate, of course.

"This is so good," I said, slurping up some noodles. "They always make it perfect here."

Shigeo nodded. He was quiet as ever. Usually I do all the talking.

Then he asked me a question.

"Hey, Arashi," he said, in a quiet tone. "How come we never invite Ritsu when we come here..?"

I tensed up. My relationship with Ritsu, my _other _brother, wasn't exactly stellar. While I didn't outright _hate _him, he really bugged me. When I first showed up at the Kageyama house like 8 years ago, he ignored me for a really long time. He finally stopped after a while, but most of our interactions were arguing or fighting. We held grudges against each other. He never came to any of my band's performances. And I voted against him in the student council elections. When we were together with Shigeo, we just spent most of the time glaring at each other. To me, he was just a selfish jerk.

But I wasn't going to say that to Mob, who really cared about Ritsu. I mean, they're _actually_ biologically related, so…

"Uh, well…" I began. "Ritsu is… um…"

Thank God, Mob's phone rang. He picked it up and answered it. He muttered a few things, then put the phone down.

"I have to go to work," Mob said. "Sorry, Arashi."

"No worries," I said, secretly relieved. "Good luck!"

Yeah, my brother has a job. He works for this guy called Reigen Arataka, who's the 'Greatest Psychic of the 21st Century'. I put that in quotations because he is obviously 110% a phoney. Normally, I would never let my brother work under some douchebag like that, but then I met the guy and he wasn't actually that bad. He was giving Mob some really good advice on how to use his powers. Some advice even _I_ couldn't give him. So even if he was a phoney, he wasn't a bad guy, and Mob really looked up to him. That doesn't mean I won't let him go if he does something to Mob… part of me wonders if he is using him, after all…

But Mob seems to enjoy his job. That's important to me, too.

I finished my noodles and left. I thought about Mob's question.

I sighed. I hoped I wouldn't run into Ritsu.

* * *

"Again?"

Mob had accidentally bent his spoon while eating dinner. He does that a lot. Mom was shaking her head and sighing.

"It's just puberty," Dad said. "He'll get over it."

"Why can't you be more like Ritsu or Arashi?" Mom asked. "Ritsu's grades are impeccable, and Arashi's captain of the Karate Team!"

"Mom, anyone can get good grades if they try." Ritsu said, bending Mob's spoon back with a smug look directed at me. Jerk. We don't all have time to study 24/7.

"And anyone can be learn karate," I said, holding out my ukulele and glaring back at Ritsu. Yeah, I take it everywhere. "As long as you have the willpower."

"Don't worry, Mob," Ritsu said. "If there's anything bothering you, you can talk to me."

"Or me." I said.

Ritsu was about to argue back, but Mom interrupted him.

"You're spoiling him!" Mom complained. "Anymore broken spoons are coming out of your allowance, Shigeo!"

Poor guy…

* * *

As usual, Mob and I walked to school together. Luckily Ritsu didn't come with us, since he was in the student council and he was very important and blah blah blah...

Mob was looking at someone, blushing. I sighed. It was his childhood crush, Takane Tsubomi. Honestly, she was _everyone's _crush. She was the idol of the school. In my opinion, she was all talk, but no matter what I said Mob couldn't get his eyes off her.

"Her again?" I asked. "She's no good for you, Mob. Seriously, if you're gonna get a girl, she at least has to be somewhat worth it."

And plus, they'd also have to get through me first.

Mob just looked away, with a blank slate as always. There was probably something else in there, too. Sadness?

"Come on," I said, putting my arms around his shoulders, "if we get there early, we can do our homework together."

Mob nodded, and off we went.

**Progress towards Mob's explosion: 25% **

* * *

Class is boring. Not even gonna lie.

The teacher was droning on about stupid algebra as usual and I was trying not to fall asleep. One of my bandmates, Joshua Greenwood (he's an American migrant, basically) was in there too. He kept winking at me, like he was trying to hit on me or something. I gave him the finger.

"Miss Kageyama, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" the teacher asked.

"No, sir." I said quickly, vowing to kick Joshua's butt later on. There were some giggles from the other students. I glared at them.

After that boring crap was over, I had P.E with Mob! It was the only class I had with him, considering he was in a different grade. Because I'm so cool, I got moved into the level above for P.E. Go me.

We were playing football, and as usual, Mob wasn't doing too great. I hate to say it, but Mob sucks at football. And sport in general.

Some jerk kicked the ball at his face. On purpose. I could tell by the evil sneer on the jerk's face.

"Hey you!" I snapped at him. "I'll cut your junk off! No one messes with my big bro!"

And I tackled him to the ground. I used some of my karate moves on him, and I was about to get more intense when the umpire showed up and dragged me off him and I got detention… again. Wonderful.

* * *

"You really need to chill," a voice said. I looked at the door; Ritsu was standing there. Watching me during detention. What a jerk.

"Get lost," I snapped.

Ritsu frowned. "Sis, seriously. You're gonna keep getting detentions if you run around beating people up."

"Hey, some jerk kicked a ball into Shigeo's face!" I snapped. "What, you think I'm gonna hang around and let that happen?"

"Just tell authorities." Ritsu replied, though I could tell he was annoyed.

"You're a weakling." I growled.

Ritsu glared at me. "No, _you_ are."

I stood up. "Hey, you wanna-"

"Mob sends his regards," Ritsu interrupted, holding up a hand. "He's gone to work."

"Don't interrupt me," I snapped. "And that's great. I send them back. Now get lost."

"Fine," Ritsu said. He turned away. "One more thing, though."

I sighed. "What?"

"What's the name of the… jerk that kicked a ball into our brother's face?"

I felt myself smiling, oddly. I suppose, Ritsu being a student council member had its advantages. He had a little more authority than the rest of us.

So I told him.

* * *

My detention had taken up all my school breaks, but thankfully I got to go to Karate Club after school. Karate Club is always awesome; I always kick a lot of butt. And I'm the captain, so I'm pretty much the most intimidating of all.

I demonstrated some moves, throwing my fists in the air. Exhilaration rushed through me. I was wearing my white karate uniform, a black belt around my waist. Yep, I'm a black belt. And it makes me feel way more sweet than when I'm wearing the crappy school uniform.

My club members followed my moves. There were about 12 of us. Some were new, and as the leader, I had to look after them.

"Good job today, guys!" I told my team. "That'll be all. Make sure to practice!"

"Yes, Captain Kageyama!" They all said. They bowed, then all left. One of the newer ones, a girl around my age, was a little slow behind.

"Hey," I said. "You okay, kid?"

She nodded. "I'm just… new here."

I patted her shoulder. "You'll settle in just fine. Now off you go, get outta here."

She ran off. I wondered if we'd be friends. Probably not. Most of my friends are guys, because I don't exactly fit in with the girls. Eh, that's fine. I don't want to be a wimp anyway.

* * *

After Karate Club, I went home, and ignored Ritsu for the whole night. That was easy, because he was ignoring me too.

I sat in my room, which was small, cozy, and full of posters for my favourite bands. I pulled out _Kumo_. Is it weird to name your ukulele? Maybe. I didn't think so. It was the only thing from my real family. It was special to me.

I played _Somewhere Over the Rainbow_, like the guy in the original song does. Except I wasn't naked and fat. I can sing okay, but I'm more of a background vocalist. Josh Greenwood can sing better than me; he's the vocalist in our band.

I was getting tired, and of course I hadn't done my homework (ain't nobody got time for that), when Mob came back. I went over to greet him. He didn't seem tired, even though he'd probably done some cool exorcism.

"How did it go?" I asked.

"Good," Mob said. "Didn't take long."

"Never does with you, Mob," I said. "You're the strongest esper. I haven't met any others, but I bet they wouldn't be as strong as you."

Mob looked at his hands. "I… I don't think psychic powers will help me a get a girlfriend."

I rolled my eyes. "If a girl doesn't appreciate your powers, she sucks. You'll find the one, eventually. Don't worry, dude."

Mob sighed. I glanced at the ceiling. No girl would be good for my bro, in my opinion. To see him get hurt by some witch would break my heart.

I put my arm around his shoulder. "Hey, I'll show you a song my band's been working on. Come on."

And he followed me into my room, as the night came above us.


	3. Doubts about youth, the Telepathy Club

"One, two, three, four…"

I strummed my pick against my guitar's strings as Daizō began hitting the bass drum. I have both a ukulele and a guitar; I use the guitar for playing in the band, while _Kumo_ is purely for sentimental reasons. And no, my guitar doesn't have a name. My memory sucks; I don't want to have to remember the names of _all_ my instruments.

Joshua Greenwood began humming notes with a soothing voice. He was the oldest in our band, 14 years old. He had been singing since he was 3, so he said. He also had green hair, because he thought it made him look cool or something. It reached just past his shoulders, and had small bits of it near his forehead. He was tall, tan and had a very shiny smile. He was taller than most people in school. He liked to wear loose, simple clothing when he wasn't in uniform.

Daizō Kobayashi was a few months older than me, like Ritsu, but still 13. He didn't have green hair (it was black) but he did have hair that covered one of his eyes, and two ahoges sticking out like cat ears. If he wasn't wearing the uniform, he usually wore black clothes and silver ear-piercings. My band is just full of messed up people. Yeah, that includes me.

We were playing in one of the music rooms, performing for some show at the school's next music night. They have two music nights per year, where literally every band or musical organisation in the school plays in front of the whole school. That includes the choir, the school band (which I'm also in), us, and so on. We perform at assemblies sometimes. We're not 'big enough' to play outside of school yet, sadly.

Anyway, so we were practising. When we were done (and we sounded pretty good in my opinion), Josh flopped onto the floor, and spread out his arms, like he was trying to be a starfish.

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" I asked him.

"Just thinking," he said. "This band… this band is awesome, you know. And I love rock music."

"Yeah, so?" I asked. I turned to Daizō, who was just staring at his nails.

"But… I think we need something more… _gentle_," Josh said, sitting up. He brushed his green hair out of his face. "We need some variety. To make our band appeal to a wider audience."

"You want us to play slower or something?" I asked.

"No," Josh said. He stood up to his full height and spread his arms. "We need… a pianist!"

Daizō and I just stared at him.

"Come on!" Josh stood up, with that big stupid grin of his. "The band will improve _tremendously_. All we need is a good pianist, and billions of doors will open for us."

"A pianist…" I repeated. I glanced at Daizō. "What do you think?"

Daizō shrugged. Yeah, he doesn't talk a lot.

"Well, I'm not _totally_ convinced, but I suppose we can try it." I said.

"That's the spirit!" Josh grinned.

Suddenly, the door burst open and 4 students ran in. I think they were apart of the Telepathy Club. Yeah, that club was a thing. It was pretty whack in my opinion.

"Uh, hi?" Josh said.

"The hell is all this?" I asked.

"Hey!" said a girl. She had chin-length, black hair and a determined look on her face. "You want to join the Telepathy Club? Any of you?"

"No." I said.

"Nah." Josh said.

Daizō shook his head.

"Dammit," the girl cursed. She turned to me. "You're Shigeo's sister, right? The one that hangs around him a lot?"

"Yeah?" I asked, furrowing my brow. "What about it?"

"Can you convince your brother to join our club?" she asked.

"Why should I do that?" I asked.

"He'll totally enjoy it, trust me," she said. She frantically waved her arms around. "I mean, he hasn't said no yet! And we _really _need a new member!"

I raised my brow. "Where is he?"

"Outside," said the girl, twitching. She seemed pretty on edge. I looked at her a little more closely, and her name came to me: Tome Kurata, president of the Telepathy Club. I noticed only 3 students were with her, which made me realise what exactly was going on here.

I went outside the room, and saw Mob standing there, looking awkward.

"Hey," I said. "So, do you actually want to join this club, or is Tome forcing you to?"

"I don't want to join." Mob admitted.

"That's what I thought." I sighed. I turned back to Tome. "He doesn't want to join."

"B-but!" Tome waved her hands around wildly. The other club members looked a little freaked out. I couldn't blame them. "He-"

"I said, he doesn't want to join!" I snapped. "Now _stop_ harassing him!"

Tome glared at me. "Oh yeah? Well before he said he was thinking about it. He's in no clubs; this is a great opportunity!"

"Bullcrap!" I snapped. "He clearly doesn't care. You're just trying to force him to join so you won't lose your stupid club."

"My club is NOT STUPID!" Tome yelled.

"Leave my brother ALONE!" I yelled, louder.

"Girls, please," Josh stepped between us. "This is getting interesting, but we don't need a cat fight."

I still wanted to pummel Tome's face in, but Josh was giving me a look, so I stepped down.

"Think about it, Mob," Tome said, as she and her club walked away. "You can apply tomorrow!"

"Don't listen to her crap," I told my brother. "If you don't want to join, you don't have to. There are way better clubs for you to join here."

"Like the hair-styling club." Josh said, flipping his hair.

"There's no hair styling club, you idiot." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Well, if there was, I'd be president of it." Josh retorted. I face-palmed. That guy just blew my mind sometimes, and not in a good way. Daizō had appeared at the doorway now, and even _he_ looked annoyed. He didn't say anything, of course.

Mob's phone rang.

"I've got to go to work," Mob said. He stared at me. "That reminds me… my master says he wants you to come with me."

"Uh, why?" I asked.

"Something about a girl's school…" Mob said.

I shrugged. "Sure. Let's do it."

* * *

"So, you want to try extracurricular stuff?"

Mob nodded.

"Awesome," I said. "Why not join the Karate Club? I can teach you how to kick butt."

Mob didn't say anything. Well, he wasn't one for violence. He never liked hurting people, and even with his amazing psychic powers, I'd never seen him use them on another person. Or very much at all, for that matter.

"Maybe not," I said. "Are you interested in music?"

"Not really."

"Sport?"

"No."

"Maths? Or Languages?"

"Neither."

"Art?"

"No."

I sighed. "Is there anything you _are_ interested in?"

Mob shrugged, reminding me of Daizō. Or maybe, Daizō reminds me of Mob. Yeah, even me, Mob's sister and best friend, had no idea what Mob's true interests were. He wasn't in any clubs. He didn't excel at anything. He hated sports, and he wasn't a music person. He couldn't draw, or was into science…

In other words, he didn't come off as an impressive person. But don't judge a book by its cover, you douche. Maybe he didn't have a lot of interests, but he was still an interesting person. He was kind, compassionate... innocent, friendly… and an insanely powerful esper. I was proud of him. And anyone who said he was a wimp could get lost.

"You'll figure it out," I said. "It's all about growing up and other boring cheesy stuff."

Mob nodded.

"And hey," I said. "I'll be there, too. So you won't be alone."

Mob just gave me a small smile.

* * *

We arrived at Reigen's office. It was small and simple, yet reeked of arrogance. I frowned. I'd met Reigen before, and I'd given him my stamp of approval, but I didn't necessarily _like_ him. He was around 28, tall and slim. He had light brown hair with messy bangs, and dark eyes. He wore a grey business suit with a violet tie. Pretty professional-looking for a phoney.

"Welcome," Reigen said, as Mob and I stood before him. He was sitting in an office chair behind his desk, looking kind of smug. He stared at me. "What's your name again?"

"Arashi." I ground out.

"Great," Reigen said. "So, do you know why you're here?"

"No." I snapped.

"Well, we got a client in a girls' high-school," Reigen said. He held a pair of school uniforms. "And, because you're a girl, as well as Mob's sister, you should make sneaking in a lot easier."

"Why are we sneaking in?" I asked. "Couldn't you just ask the school's reception for permission to enter?"

Reigen shook his head. "They denied it. We don't have a choice. I'd go in myself, but I think you'd do better. You can keep an eye on Mob for me."

"For _you_?" I asked, frowning.

"To keep him in line," Reigen said.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. But you better freaking pay me. I could be with my band right now."

Reigen nodded. "Of course."

* * *

Mob and I, dressed in a private girls' high school uniform, arrived at the school. Normally, I wouldn't let Mob do something that humiliating, but Mob wanted to do his job, and hey, I was actually with him for once. No way was I going to let my brother infiltrate a school by himself! (Well, Mob didn't really want to dress up as a girl… but you know what I mean.)

The school was like your average girls' high school. Nothing too interesting. Mob and I were both wearing the uniform: red blazer, skirt, black shoes. We were both wielding brown briefcases. My hairstyle was the same, but Mob had small pigtails with plaits. Strangely, he actually looked like a girl.

We stood at the front gates. They were imposing and tall, and part of me wondered if I'd be going to school there in the future. Probably not.

"Well," I said, putting my arm around Mob's shoulder. "This sucks. Ready to go in?"

"Will we get busted?" Mob asked.

"Not if we stay incognito," I said. "Just... let me do the talking. You're going to eradicate the spirits."

Mob nodded. And so, we entered the school, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible. I grabbed Mob's arm and dragged him up some stairs, taking him to the roof, where our clients were supposed to be.

The roof was nearly empty, with only a trio of girls sitting down nearby the edge.

"Are they the clients?" I asked Mob.

"I think so." Mob replied.

"Let me see." I said. I walked over to the trio, Mob behind me. "Hey, we're from the consultation office. Are you the clients?"

"Huh?" one girl asked. "Who in Hell are you two?"

"Are you transfer students?" another girl asked. "You don't look familiar."

"No," I said. "We-"

"Consultation office?" the third girl asked. "So, you're here to get through to us thugs, is that it?"

"So annoying!" the 2nd girl said.

"No!" I snapped. "That's not it! We're-"

"You think twerps like you two can tell us what to do?" the first girl said, holding up her fist, towering over me. I stood in front of Mob protectively, getting into a stance.

"Back off, you idiots!" I snapped. "We're not here for any of that counselling crap! We're looking for spirits!"

"Spirits?" one of them asked. "So you're just insane?"

"Get _lost_." I snapped. "Trust me, I can pack a punch. You'd better clear off if you don't want to experience it."

The girls growled, but left. I was still panting, and Mob sighed in relief.

"Douchebags," I snapped. "I hope the rest of the school isn't like that."

"Nope, you just got unlucky." a voice said, from above. Mob and I looked up; two girls were standing on a small shed.

"And who the Hell are you two?" I asked.

"We're your clients." one of the girls said.

"Awesome," I said, not sounding very enthuastic. "Let's do this, then."

* * *

"Isn't that Reigen guy coming?"

We were now inside, sitting on the staircase. The clients, Mari and Chihiro, were standing before us.

"He decided it would be better to send me instead," I said. "But normally, I don't work for him. I'm just Mob's sister and, well, _an actual girl_, and since this is a girl's high-school…"

"Are you a psychic as well?" Mari asked me.

"Nope," I said, shaking my head. "But my brother is. I'm just here as a guide, I suppose."

"So, you're like his big sister?" Chihiro asked.

"I'm his younger sister, actually," I said. "People get it mixed up all the time. Anyway. What's going on with evil spirits?"

"Well, students' belongings are mysteriously vanishing…" Mari said. "We keep strange hearing sounds as well…"

"Like a poltergeist or something." Chihiro added.

"We heard things have been spotted floating through the air, too." Mari said.

"Yeah, apparently a bra started floating around in the locker room…" Chihiro said, cringing. Mob looked very embarrassed.

"Have you talked to the school about this?" I asked.

"They won't take us seriously," Mari said. "That's why we called you. The cheapest exorcises in the area."

"Your brother is the one doing the exorcism, right?" Chihiro asked.

I nodded.

"Are you sure he can?" she asked. "I haven't heard him say a word since he got here."

I scowled. "Hey, my bro's not very talkative, but trust me, he's the _best _exorcist you will ever meet. As soon as we meet that spirit, you'll see."

The girls looked at each other, unconvinced. It just made me more pissed.

"Come on, Mob," I turned to my brother. "Let's find that spirit."

_And prove them wrong,_ I added mentally.

* * *

We explored the school for a while, pursuing the spirit (according to Mob). Mari and Chihiro still didn't believe Mob was a good exorcist, and I was smugly waiting, waiting for him to prove them wrong. And trust me, he did.

A scream erupted from the bathroom. The four of us burst in; a girl was sitting in a stall, panicking.

"There was something watching me!" she screamed. "From the top of the door!"

"The windows are locked tight..." Mari said, glancing anxiously at said windows.

"And we would've seen anything leaving!" Chihiro added, nervously.

"Sense anything?" I looked at Mob.

"This way." Mob said, his head down. We followed him around some more, pursuing the spirit. It eventually led us to the school's gym. We stood outside, as it towered imposingly.

"Has he found it yet?" Mari asked me.

"The spirit is angry," Mob answered, suddenly serious. The girls gasped, while I tensed up. "And if we keep pursuing it, it might try something."

"What are we gonna do?" Chihiro asked. "The basketball team is practising inside!"

"Let's end this," Mob said. He raised his hand; a faint blue glow emitted from it, surrounding the gym. "I've trapped the spirit."

I was starting to really get the heebie jeebies. I knew a lot of stuff about karate, but none of it would help me against an evil spirit. I was no esper. I stayed nearby my brother as we walked into the gym. Inside, the basketball team was indeed practising. One of the girls threw the ball towards the hoop.

"Found you," Mob said, with a dark look on his face. The ball froze in mid-air. An ugly, glowing green hand formed around it. The hand belonged to a giant, green creature that looked like it was made out of mouldy cheese. It was wearing a dark blue suit and small glasses that glared into my soul. The girls screamed. I felt myself shiver, and held out my fists. I knew Mob was a powerful esper, but even_ I_ was beginning to doubt whether he'd be able to defeat the spirit. For the love of God, it was huge! My protective instincts kicked in, and I stepped forward. Whatever this thing was, I didn't want to let it hurt my brother.

"Stay behind me," Mob said, suddenly holding his arm out. He sounded steady. "I can handle this."

"Now you've done it, you psychic brat," the spirit growled. "How dare you try to trap me in my haunting grounds. Are you trying to ruin my paradise?" It crushed the basketball between its finger. "If so, then this is what you'll get!"

Mob didn't even looked fazed as the spirit roared and held up a gargantuan fist, bringing it down towards us.

"Mob!" I screamed.

Mob held up his hand, meeting the fist. Wind blew me down; I crashed into Mari and Chihiro. We stared at Mob, who was still standing there, looking bored as Hell. Maybe even a little annoyed.

The spirit's fist had been wiped off. That's when I realised how stupid I was. Of _course _Mob could handle it. When it came to psychic abilities, there was nothing he couldn't.

The spirit, looking nervous, turned to some of the girls in the basketball team. He seemed to be muttering something about possession. The girls huddled together in fright.

"YOU!" the spirit boomed, pointing to the girl in front. "YOU SMELL NICE! I CHOOSE YOU!"

She screamed as the spirit came close.

"Get back," Mob said, standing in front of the girl. With a few quick movements, he sliced the spirit up. I sat up in awe as the spirit exploded into colour and light, and wind blew back my hair. It was like the most amazing but most terrifying firework show I'd ever seen. I only had one thought: _my brother is so freaking cool_.

"It's all over now." Mob said. He was surrounded by a swarm of grateful girls. His face went bright red. I face-palmed. He could take on a giant ghost but as soon as he saw girls, he broke down.

Oh well. At least I could give smug looks to Mari and Chihiro.

Then Mob went pale. He glanced at the ceiling, like he was in a trance.

"Mob," I said, walking up to him. He didn't listen to me. "Hey, Mob." I put my hand on his shoulder. He jumped, then stared at me. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Mob said. "Fine."

"Come on, let's ditch these suckers and go get some ramen," I said. "This uniform makes me look crap, anyway."

Mob nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The next day, I was hanging out with the band again. We were discussing the whole pianist thing, when I remembered Mob was supposedly joining a club. More specifically, the Telepathy Clubs.

"I gotta go make sure the Telepathy Idiots don't force him into their club," I said. "I'll catch with you guys later."

"What if Mob actually wants to join the Telepathy Club, though?" Josh asked.

"He doesn't." I said, shooting him a look. "See ya."

I headed over to the Telepathy Club room, where Mob was signing a form. I raised my brow. So Mob decided to join the Telepathy Club after all? If that was true, why did the rest of the Telepathy Club looked so bummed out? Also, what was with the dumbbells everywhere?

"You're joining them?" I asked Mob, pointing at the rest of the club.

"No," Mob said. "I'm joining the Body Improvement Club."

"You mean the club that works out all the time?" I asked. "That's… not something I thought you'd join… you sure you can handle it?"

Mob nodded. "I figured out what I want to do. I want to live everyday to the fullest."

I found myself smiling. I was proud. "Then you go for it, Mob. Kick butt."

My brother was strong, after all. Not in the way I was or the way others were. He was strong in his own way, and that's what made him awesome.


	4. Simply put, I just want to be popular

Oh my freaking God. I could _not_ believe what I was hearing.

I flinched and covered my ears as this kid named Touma almost destroyed his keyboard. And get this, he claimed to be a _professional_. He was so bad even Daizō was unimpressed, and it takes a _lot_ to annoy him.

"Um…" Josh cleared his throat. "Uhh… hey, um… buddy, that's enough."

Touma looked up. "But I've only played for ten seconds."

"And that's fine!" Josh frantically waved his hands. "That's all we needed!"

Touma shrugged. "Well, then, how did I do? Am I in the band?"

_Oh boy. I could tear this kid to shreds. _

"Um…" Josh said. "Uh…" He began to sweat. "Well… you have a nice smile! And a lot of passion! But you're not really what we're looking for."

Touma looked disappointed. "Aw, man."

He walked out of the room, dragging his keyboard out behind him. I couldn't decide whether the sound of him dragging his keyboard against the floorboards or his piano playing sounded worse.

"I'm beginning to wonder if getting a pianist is such a good idea after all…" I said.

"Hey, come on, we've… only had 5 tryouts!" Josh said, still nervous. "There's still plenty more to go."

"Uh huh," I said, rolling my eyes. "Whatever you say, Mr. Optimistic. Sure doesn't look like we have much hope." I checked the time by glancing at the clock on the wall. "Well, if we're done here, I'm going to go to Karate Club. You leaving too, Daizō?"

Daizō nodded, standing up.

"Wait!" Josh waved his arms. "Guys!"

"See ya, Josh." I said, as Daizō followed me outside. As soon as we were kind of far away, I turned to Daizō.

"You think we'll actually find a pianist?" I asked.

Daizō shrugged.

"Yeah, me neither," I said. "Well. See ya, Daizō."

Daizō bowed, then we parted ways. I swear I could still hear Josh whining in the distance.

* * *

After Karate Club, I caught up with Shigeo, who was absolutely exhausted. Probably because he ran up to me. That Body Improvement Club really was changing him. He never would've ran in the past.

"So," I said. "How's the Body Improvement Club?"

Mob panted as a response.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," I said. "The Body Improvement Club doesn't seem like your thing, so, really… _why_ did you join?"

"The Telepathy Club asked me that," Mob deadpanned. "I… I want to become popular."

"You don't need to become popular, Shigeo," I told him. "Trust me, it's overrated."

"Tome said I could learn telepathy and read the minds of girls..." Mob replied.

I rolled my eyes. "That's all a load of bullcrap, Mob. Telepathy isn't real. And even if it was, it'd be cheating, anyway. You don't wanna be a cheater, do you?"

Mob shook his head. "What should I do, then?"

"Just forget girls," I said. "Most here are stupid anyway. They'll reject you."

"Oh." Mob said, looking down.

"Stick with me," I said, putting my arm around his shoulder. "I'll look after you."

* * *

We continued walking home. As usual, I talked about stuff, while Mob listened. He was good at that.

Until a woman stepped in front of us.

"Hello!" she said, cheerfully. She was wearing a mask with a large, hollow smile on it. Something about her made me uneasy. "May I ask you two a question?"

"Uh, sure," I said.

"You aren't laughing or smiling," she said. "I can sense these things! You must be worried about your studies, right? Or health troubles? Or family troubles?"

"Nope." I said. I decided not to talk about Ritsu. Mob wouldn't like it.

"What about school troubles?" the lady asked. Yeah, there was definitely something fishy going on.

"Come on, Mob," I grabbed my brother's arm. "Let's go-"

"Is it about love?" the woman asked. Shigeo tensed up and stared at the woman.

"_Shigeo_," I said, holding his arm. "No."

"Aren't you having problems, young lady?" the woman asked me. "You aren't smiling.."

"No," I snapped. "There's nothing wrong with me- with _us_. Get lost!"

"You're scared," the woman said, her voice laced with honey. "We can help with that."

"I'm not!" I snapped. Okay, maybe I didn't want to admit I _was_ scared, deep down. The part of me that was… hurting. "We really need to go home. I'm not asking you again, Shigeo. _Come on_."

I turned away, but Mob hadn't moved. He was still staring at the lady.

"Seriously, Shigeo?" I asked, grabbing his arm and tugging him back. "Come. On. Let's. _Go_."

Mob was frowning. He moved a bit closer to the woman.

"He'll be coming with me." the lady said, determined.

"For the love of-" I sighed. "Fine. If you want to go so bad Shigeo, then at least let me come with you."

* * *

"It so happens that I belong to a brand new religious order that came into existence last month!" said the woman, as she, Mob and I took a lift down to somewhere. Totally not suspicious at all.

"Religious order?" I asked. "Like, a cult?"

"Yes," the woman said. "It's called LOL. Founded by our leader Master Dimple, it's the happiest, trendiest gathering of the century! The master has the amazing and mysterious ability to make anyone laugh immediately!"

"Sounds like he's either a hypnotist, or he's giving everyone drugs," I said, glancing at Mob. "Not sure what's worse."

"Not at all!" the woman chuckled. "You'll see!"

The elevator doors opened. Before us was a large stage with bright red curtains, and tons of people wearing masks with smiley faces. I tensed up. Yeah, all my instincts were on high alert. I did not trust this place.

"LOL is in no way a suspicious group, so make yourself at home." the woman said. I didn't buy it. At all.

"There are a lot of people here," Mob said, as we walked out of the elevator. "Do you think they want to be popular too?"

"I don't know," I said. "This place gives me the creeps. I don't like it."

"Oh, are you two new?" a man asked. Yep, he was wearing a mask too.

"You'll need to get up on stage!" said another woman.

"Uh, why?" I asked.

"Hurry!" said the people. They pushed us towards the stage.

"Hey!" I said. I kicked one guy over, but it wasn't enough. Mob and I were forced onto the stage, along with two other people: a girl from our school, and a scruffy looking guy.

"What's going on?" Mob asked me.

"No idea," I hissed, "but I'm starting to think we shouldn't have come."

"Mob, is that you?" a voice asked. It was the girl from our school. "Do you recognise me? I'm Mezato. I'm in your homeroom class." She turned to me. "And… aren't you his sister? The girl that acts like a delinquent?"

"I don't act like a delinquent!" I snapped. I turned to Mob. "Do I act like a delinquent, Mob?!"

Mob shrugged.

"Flipping whatever." I grunted.

"Anyway," Mezato asked. "Were you guys lured here too?"

Mob said, "Well, actually-"

"Yep." I interrupted. "We were."

"Master Dimple!" the crowd suddenly shouted. Only then I realised spotlights were shining on us. A man in a purple cloak and a diamond-patterned sash walked towards us. He had a smiley mask too, but with a strong blush. He held out his hands and the audience cheered. He looked like an overly happy hippie, in my opinion.

"Let me ask you," the Dimple guy said, in a sinister voice, which suddenly became cheerful, "are you laughing?"

Everyone in the audience began laughing. Us four on the stage stood there awkwardly.

"Are you warmed up, then?" Dimple asked. "Let's take off these masks!"

Dimple removed his mask. He had long, black hair and a giant grin on his face. The audience reflected it pretty well.

"You all smile so brightly!" he cried. He began laughing, and everyone laughed along with him.

"Man, what a creepy bunch this is." the scruffy guy near us said.

"Couldn't agree more." I grunted.

"And stop," Dimple waved his arm. The audience immediately stopped, like Dimple had just pushed 'pause'. Dimple turned to us. "We have four new smile mates joining our congregation. Give them a hand!"

"What the Hell did you just call me?!" I spat.

"Yeah, what's the big idea?" Mezato asked.

"In order to unlock the gift of happiness you must set your hearts free," Dimple said. "You must break away from the prison inside yourself, by laughing, even in pain! Once your hearts are unlocked, you will find true happiness in any situation!"

I was done with this. "The Hell is this, a _therapy _session? Laughter isn't going to solve all your goddamn problems. This cult is a load of crap. I'm leaving."

I turned to walk away, but a group of people grabbed my arms and stopped me. I punched a guy in the jaw, sending him off the stage. I kicked a woman in the knees; she landed on some other people. While I was quick, more people just kept coming up and grabbing me. I was failing to keep up.

"And who's this feisty young lady?" Dimple asked. I had a few things to say to Dimple, and they were a lot worse than 'feisty'.

"She was with the boy," the woman from before said. "She was very unhappy!"

"UNHAPPY?!" I roared. "THE ONLY THING THAT MADE ME UNHAPPY WAS YOU, YOU (Censored)!"

"Oh my, what a poor girl!" Dimple said. "So vulgar, so heartbroken! Worry not, my dear! All your problems shall soon be solved!" He held up a mask with a smiley face on it. "With this!"

"Get that crap away from me!" I yelled, tons of people grabbing me, digging into my skin. My personal space was pretty much destroyed by this point. Dimple raised the mask above my head. "No! Screw you! Get that away!"

"Arashi," I swore I heard Mob mutter. He raised his voice. "Please, don't hurt my sister."

"Don't worry, we aren't hurting her," Dimple said. "We're helping her!" He put the mask on my face. I yelled out in rage, but my face had different ideas. I wanted to _smile_.

"Mob!" I yelled. "Shigeo!" I started laughing against my will. "Sparkle!" My shoulder was suddenly burning in pain, but I was still smiling. Everything felt so light and happy, like I had just walked into the ice-cream place.

"You're tormenting her!" I heard Mezato yell. "I knew this cult was an evil organisation!"

"Evil?" Dimple laughed. "Quite the opposite! Remove the mask!"

The mask was removed from my face. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, or stop laughing.

"Sparkly fun!" I giggled. It wasn't me, and I couldn't stop. I was so angry and I was powerless. Yet at the same time I felt so nice, so wonderful, so _happy_.

"See?" Dimple asked. "She's happy!"

"I…" Mezato began. She frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe… maybe I made a mistake. Maybe it's not so evil after all. I should go-"

"Oh no, you don't!" Dimple cackled. "No one leaves here without smiling!"

Mezato got a smile mask forced onto her, as well as the scruffy guy. When they were removed, they were both smiling. Great, all in this together. Mob was the only one left.

"Excuse me," he put his hand up, removing his mask. He wasn't smiling, which caused the audience to gasp. "This doesn't have anything to do with being popular, so I'm going to leave now. And I'd appreciate it if you could let my little sister come with me."

I swear I heard someone say, _'he's _the older one?' Even the LOL cult didn't know. _Sigh_.

Aside from that one questioning of my age, most people were shocked that Mob wasn't smiling.

Mob walked over to me. "I'm leaving. Do you want to come, Arashi, or are you happy to stay here?"

I was about to answer, but Dimple interrupted me.

"Wait!" He yelled. "Don't go! Are you sure you want to live the rest of your life with that frown? You're missing out!"

"People have different perceptions of missing out," Mob said. "My dad says people who don't smoke are missing out on half their life."

Dimple gritted his teeth. For once, I was very grateful that Shigeo was so emotionless. Or was it because of his psychic powers? Probably a mix of both.

"Very well then!" Dimple boomed. "I challenge you to a staring contest! Three of our smile leaders and you will drink milk, and the first one to laugh and spit it out loses!"

"Mob," I said, my tone still insanely cheerful. "Please…"

Mob stared at me. I thought I saw a glance of concern on his face.

"I accept." he told Dimple. Either because he was staying here for me, or he loved milk. I don't know. Again, probably a mix of both.

_Progress towards Mob's explosion: 58%_

Of course, Mob smashed the competition.

He drank the milk with a calm expression, while the rest of them burst into laughter. He didn't even look mildly interested. I had never been so proud of that dead look on his face.

"I will take on this challenge myself!" Dimple declared. He turned his back for a moment, then walked over to Mob with a glass of milk in his hands. My suspicions were aroused. Mob took a sip of the milk and immediately spit it out.

"Ha!" Dimple yelled. "He's laughing! You lost!"

We all started laughing again, too. My shoulder kept burning. It was that tattoo of mine. It always burned when I got really peeved… yet, for some stupid reason, I was actually having _fun_. My brother was getting tormented and I couldn't stop freaking laughing.

"I didn't lose," Mob said. He panted, and I thought I saw a flash of fury in his eyes. "That wasn't… laughter."

A wave of power flowed from him. Suddenly, the hypnosis was broken. I shook my head, and looked up at Mob._ Where's my smile? _

_Oh, Mob! _

"Mob!" I yelled. "This place is dodgy, don't-" I suddenly felt myself laughing again, and my shoulder burn. "Sparkle!"

Everyone laughed alongside me. The room was full of loud, yet fake, laughter. Dimple put a hand on his face, and turned away for a moment. Then he looked back.

"We aren't your enemies here," he told Mob. "Why are you fighting?"

_You are enemies,_ my brain whispered. It was quiet. The laughter covered it.

"Get a clue, kid!" Dimple laughed. "Why aren't you laughing with us? Even_ your sister_ is laughing!"

Low blow, jerk. But it didn't stop me from chuckling. The jest reminded me of when Mob and I were younger, and people used to ask Mob why he wouldn't laugh at anything.

"_Get a club, Mob!_" they'd say.

"_Leave him alone!_" I'd yell. "_He doesn't have to do anything!_"

Yet…

_Progress towards Mob's explosion: 74%_

"You leave me little choice," Dimple said, raising his hand. "I'm forced to show my true power." His hand glowed. "Now start laughing!"

He brought his hand to Mob's face. The audience cheered. I hugged Mezato, I don't even know why, I was just so happy!

"Why?" Dimple yelled. Mob was… the same as before. "Why aren't you laughing?" He squished Mob's face, yelling about his powers.

_Powers_, my brain hummed. _Powers. Powers. Psychic… psychic powers… Dimple's an esper!_

"What the Hell, are you a corpse?!" Dimple roared.

"Your powers can't make me laugh." Mob said, his tone a bit solemn. "It's not like I'm fighting it. I just can't, okay? Even if I…" he looked down. "... really wanted to. I don't mean anything bad by it."

I moved closer to Mob. My shoulder burned, like it was going to explode. The part of me that was _me _perked up, the one that promised I'd never let anyone hurt my brother.

_No matter what, I'll be with you._

"I see what the problem is, you little brat," Dimple said, leaning over him. "You don't have any emotions."

_Have to protect… I love… smile…_

"They mentioned you were having troubles with love," Dimple said, walking around Mob. "With a personality like yours, you'll never be able to laugh with the girl you love."

_Not… true… better…_

"You're never going to be like that, are you?" Dimple asked.

_Progress towards Mob's explosion: 88%_

"You'll be alone… forever." Dimple added, a shadow caressing his face.

_Progress towards Mob's explosion: 92%_

"Don't," I said, my face hurting from trying to force the smile away. My voice was so quiet, so reserved, so broken. "You're… wrong… he…"

"I'll give you one more chance," Dimple spread his arms. "Now laugh!"

And everyone started laughing again. I covered my ears, only hearing the sound of my own heartbeat. Sweat was pouring down my face, and my shoulder was so freaking painful it could've exploded.

_Mob… Mob… what do you want…_

"Why don't you make me," Mob said, his tone dry, "with your psychic powers?"

I looked up, a flutter of hope in my eyes.

"I made a peaceful religious order so I wouldn't have to shed any blood," Dimple said, after a brief pause. "But you're in my way, brat. And I have to kill the outsiders."

"You're not even a person," my brother said, his face covered in darkness. "You're-"

"No," I said, fighting against the hypnosis with all the strength I had. I gathered all my energy, uncovering my ears. My shoulder cried out in pain. I swear I felt blood trickling down my arm. Or was that an illusion as well? "STOP!"

And everyone looked at me. I stood in front of Mob.

"I won't let you kill him," I said, holding up my fists and glaring at Dimple. My whole body was shaking. Stupid hypnosis. "Outsider, or not. He's still… he's still my brother."

There was a deathly silence.

"Stupid girl," Dimple boomed. "You really think you can save him? I'll kill you too!"

He easily picked me up and threw me into the wall. There was sickening crack. My head was now hurting almost as much as my shoulder. My vision had black spots, and my arms felt like noodles.

"Don't let him or her escape alive!" I heard Dimple roar. It could've been the spots in my vision, but I'm pretty sure I saw Dimple turn into a huge, black cloud. Every cult member made a jump-pile on Mob, flattening him. Wind blew through my hair, and the ground seemed to rumble. I was having trouble staying conscious…

"_Come on, Mob!" a young Takane giggled. "Get a clue already!"  
_

"_Hey!" I snapped. "Leave him alone!"_

"_Why do you stick up for him?" a boy asked. "It's not like he does anything back for you."_

_I slapped him and ran away, taking Mob with me._

"_He's right," Mob said. "Arashi… why do you stick up for me?"_

"_You're my brother," I said. "And you saved my life! I owe you everything!"_

"_But… I'm just some kid who can't share his emotions…" Mob said._

"_It's because of your psychic powers, silly," I giggled. "They're all inside you, so they're still there! And besides, you are amazing. You're way more amazing than any of those guys back there."_

"_Really?" Mob asked._

"_Really," I said. "And it doesn't matter if they're mean to you. Because no matter what, I'll be with you."_

…

But those emotions didn't stay inside Mob forever. He was only human, so they'd eventually have to come out.

And they did.

My eyes fluttered open. I saw people floating in the air, covered in psychic energy. Mob was standing below them all, his hair flowing above him. He looked furious, his eyes downcast. No. _Beyond _furious. I'd never seen him this angry before. I let out a small gasp. Only Shigeo Kageyama could make me speechless.

"You know, I was going to give you another chance, Lord Dimple," he said, his tone harsher than ever before. He wasn't yelling, but it was intimidating all the same. "But then you hurt my baby sister."

He looked up, his eyes glowing. "And _nobody _hurts my baby sister."

I almost felt embarrassed. _Seriously, baby sister? We're talking about this later, _I thought. This was one of the very few times we swapped roles. I actually did feel like the younger sibling.

The clouds were full of evil laughter. "Very well then! I'll give you everything I've got!"

A green, muscular man, like the hulk but bald and with red cheeks appeared, an arrogant smile on his face. He yelled out taunts as he raced towards Shigeo, throwing blasts of power. Mob deflected them all, very easily.

_That's my big bro,_ I thought, with a small smile.

"What the Hell?" Dimple cursed; his fists had disappeared. He suddenly increased in size, and his muscles grew too. "I'll be damned, kid. Never thought I'd have to fight anyone with the full extent of my power. Now brat, it's time to die!"

He charged towards Shigeo, who easily punched him away. Dimple crashed into the wall, his arms and legs missing. Mob walked over to Dimple, putting his foot on his face. He glared down at the spirit.

"The only person to understand me without needing to see my emotions are my little siblings," Mob growled. "Arashi is both my sister and my best friend, and while she may not be the most polite person, she's a thousand times the person _you'll _ever be. You can say whatever you want to me, you can try to kill me, but if you touch my little brother or sister, I'll tear you apart. Do you understand?"

Dimple roared, rolling away from Mob. He jumped up in the air, throwing a bright purple laser at him. It crashed into the floor, creating a huge mess.

"A direct hit!" Dimple cried. "The number of hits I've endured will decipher the victor, or the loser here!"

A knife sliced straight through Dimple's body. Mob was standing there, holding up his hand. Dimple exploded before him, like a disgusting green firework. Mob had a somewhat sad look on his face. He muttered something I couldn't hear. As soon as that was over, Mob ran over to me, concern all over his face. Concern I think only a big brother could have.

"Are you okay?" he asked me, putting a hand on my forehead. I pinched his arm.

"Never do that again," I grumbled.

"What?"

"Call me your _baby _sister. I'm thirteen, Mob! Only a year younger than you!"

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't apologise," I said, sitting up. I threw my arms around his shoulder, and gave him a sisterly kiss on the cheek. "You were amazing."

"I was?" Mob asked.

"You've always been amazing," I said. "That hasn't changed since we were kids, and never will change. Trust me."

Mob looked at his shoes, with a small smile.

"And I'm not leaving your side," I said. "That won't ever change, either."

"So… I'm not a downer?" Mob asked. He looked at all the people on the floor, who were very confused. "I… I ruined all their fun."

"They were being hypnotised, idiot," I sighed. "Don't worry. You're not a downer. Just keep being you, okay?"

Mob nodded. And we left to get some noodles.


	5. Discord, Choices

**I mashed these two episodes together, hope that's all good**

* * *

"PIPE DOWN!"

I sighed. It was Tenga Onigawara, the guy that used to run the Karate Club before I took over. He was an arrogant jerk and didn't like me very much, but in a weird kind of way we were friends. He was tall, had a blob of black hair with a blue stripe, and a sneer on his face 24/7. He wore his uniform like some kind of punk rocker. He liked to walk around with his head up and his hands out. That type of guy.

"Piss off," I snapped. We were in the middle of Karate Club, and as usual, Tenga was trying to take over.

"Wait 'till I get my gang here, Kageyama," Tenga growled, crossing his arms. "I'll kick you to next week!"

"Your gang vs all of us?" I asked, snorting.

Tenga muttered under his breath. He was the leader of some stupid gang here at school, and because of that, he thought he was all talk. I knocked down his confidence when I kicked his butt and took his position as captain of the Karate Team. He kept saying sexist stuff like 'ohhh I lost to a girl' but anyone can be tough if they try, male, female, freaking attack helicopter.

"Come on," I said. "Let's work together here, Tenga. Maybe if you practice hard enough, you might actually manage to beat a toddler."

Tenga bared his teeth, running towards me. I stepped out of the way, rolling my eyes. He tripped over his own shoelace. The other members of the club laughed.

I kneeled down and offered my hand. Tenga glared at it.

"What?" I asked. "I'm not your enemy."

In a weird way, I did respect Tenga. Not all people I knocked down would I help stand back up.

"Stupid girl," he muttered, and accepted my hand. He gave me a small, grateful smile. One of the weirder but better friendships I have.

* * *

My brother was acting weird. It could've been just me, but I swore I saw him talking to himself. Same thing had happened in the morning, too, at home. I heard him talking in his room when I got out of the shower. I thought he was chatting to Ritsu, but Ritsu was in a different room. It was pretty creepy.

Back to the present.

"Hey, Mob," I said, walking up to him. He turned to me. "Who are you talking to?"

"No one." Mob said, shrugging.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You're not being stalked or something, are you?"

Mob shook his head.

"Alright, but I'm watching you," I said. "Now, I gotta go and find my band. See ya."

Mob nodded, though I swear I saw him glare at the sky for a moment.

I walked away, headed to the music rooms. I was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hey!" I looked behind me. It was Mezato, from yesterday. She was holding up a pen and paper, an excited smile on her face.

"Oh, hey," I said. "You're that girl that was with us yesterday, right?"

"Yeah," Mezato nodded. "Anyway, you got a few minutes?"

I frowned. "I've got to go and meet with my band, so-"

"It'll be really quick," Mezato said. "Trust me."

I made a face. "What do you need me so bad for?"

"Just a few questions about…" Mezato's eyes trailed away from my face. "... espers."

I glowered. "Is this about my brother?"

Mezato stared at her shoes. "Well-"

"Look, Mob's business is his own, and I'm not telling you anything," I snapped, curling up my fists. "If you want to know so badly you can ask him yourself."

"Wait, Arashi!" Mezato yelled, but I walked off, ignoring her. Yeah, maybe it was kind of mean, but I get protective over my brother. Shame. I wish I remembered that Ritsu was also my brother.

* * *

I was eating at the noodle bar, doing some homework. My favourite place to do it, not gonna lie. I got to eat food, relax in a corner, and listen to some sick music. Sometimes I go with my brother, sometimes by myself.

I didn't stay there for too long. I left eventually, and spotted something weird on a pole. A poster with… a picture of someone that looked like my brother?

I took a closer look. The poster was advertising a cult called 'Psycho Helmet'. I frowned. _What the Hell is this? _

I remembered the LOL cult Mob and I went to the previous night. Was the remnants of it? Hell, those people were committed…

I walked away, feeling strangely unsettled.

…

Sometimes I'm jealous of Shigeo. His powers are mind-blowing. No, seriously. Incredible. My karate is good, but it's got nothing on those psychic powers of his.

Other times, I'm cool. I'm fine with being in my band and in the Karate Club, having a Hell of a time. I'm a normal kid. I get bad grades sometimes, but I'm a normal kid all the same. The only weird thing about me is the tattoo on my shoulder, which I have no idea where I got it from. I stared at it in the mirror. A triangle with a kanji in it. It was purple. I touched it; it just felt like normal skin. Sometimes it burned with pain. No clue why, but it seemed to happen when I was really freaking mad.

That got me thinking about my real family. I'd always assumed I was an orphan or something, and my parents had died in some tragic event. I somehow escaped, and Mob found me…

Ritsu, on the other hand, had always been jealous of Mob's powers. I'd seen him multiple times trying to bend spoons or levitate water. Deep down, I honestly felt a little bad for him. When I was little, I used to do the same kind of stuff. Except I was whiny, so I didn't hide my jealousy that much. Ritsu kept it all lowkey. As much as I didn't like him, I could kind of see why. He didn't want to worry Mob.

* * *

The next day, Mob and I were getting ready to leave for school. We stood at the door as Mob tied up his shoes.

"We're never going to find a pianist," I sighed. "I swear-"

"Hey, wait up!" Ritsu interrupted me. He walked over. He was taller than both Mob and I (Mob and I were the same height… well, I was a _tiny _bit shorter). "I'll go with you guys."

"Wow, this is rare," Mob said. "You usually leave early."

"Yeah," I said, sneering. "Don't you usually have to go to a student council meeting or whatever?"

"There isn't one on today," Ritsu said, hastily ignoring me. "And besides, I wanted to chat with… you guys."

Ritsu turned back to me. We shared a look that said 'I'll put up with you for Mob's sake'. Ritsu and I might've not been best of buds, but we did both care about Mob. We didn't want him to worry about us, so for his sake, we put our feud aside.

"Sure," Mob said. "We three don't spend a lot of time together, anyway. Why is that?"

Ritsu and I both began sweating.

Mob shrugged. "It's okay. Let's just go."

…

The three of us, the Kageyama trio, walked to school, for one of the very few times. I avoided eye-contact with Ritsu. I would've preferred to stare at dog poop.

"So," Ritsu said. "Shigeo… I was just wondering. You don't use your psychic powers very often. Why is that?"

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Mob.

"I don't always have the chance." he answered.

"I guess there isn't anything you really want then." Ritsu replied.

"No," Mob said. "It's just that using my powers for everything would be pointless."

"Huh?" Ritsu asked.

"Having them is kind of weird anyway," Mob said. "It's not like they're needed for survival."

"Some people would beg to differ," I commented. "If I had psychic powers, I'd use them all the time."

"There are some things you can't have with psychic powers," Mob said. "Like… muscles. Talking to girls. Understanding social situations, or the environment. And wisdom. I envy _you_ for that, Ritsu." He turned to me. "And Arashi… you're always so tough. Psychic powers didn't give you that."

Ritsu and I shared something for once. Confusion.

* * *

"The Body Improvement Club?"

"Yeah," Tenga said. "With them, we'll kick Black Vinegar into the dust!"

"My brother is in that club," I grumbled. "If he gets in trouble, I'm blaming you, Onigawara. And hey, you could've asked my club. We kick butt too, y'know."

"No way I'm asking a club run by a little girl," Tenga huffed.

I glared at him. "A little girl that kicked your butt!"

Tenga gritted his teeth. He didn't like that memory.

I rolled my eyes. "You guys are a bunch of idiots. You're in the Karate Club; our rule is not fighting for no damn reason."

"This is gang business," Tenga said. "Rules aren't the same."

I sighed. "Stupid idiots, you all are. Fine. As long as my brother doesn't get hurt, knock yourselves out. But don't come crying to me if another 'little girl' kicks your butt."

Tenga gave me the evil-eyes. I put a hand on his shoulder.

"One more thing," I said. "You better make sure our school wins."

And Tenga smiled.

* * *

After school, I stayed behind to do practice with the school band. It was pretty uninteresting so I won't go over it. I don't have many friends in the school band, aside from the ones in Paranormal Investigation. So yeah, I was just sitting there, playing guitar with strangers. We were playing a boring song, too. Fun times.

Anyway, band was over and I was ready to meet Shigeo at the front of the gate to walk home. Our things finished at the same time, so that was good. Except he didn't come.

I knew he didn't have work today. I thought about what Onigawara was saying about that school. The Body Improvement Club… but Mob said the club wouldn't get involved with something like that, so… where was he?

_Maybe he's just late_, I told myself. That happens sometimes.

I waited for another few minutes, but he still didn't show. I tried ringing him, but he didn't answer. I was getting jittery, so I decided to search around the school. Some clubs were still going, like the Book Club. None of them had seen Mob, but they were pretty annoyed about me interrupting their 'deep' conversation about some book.

No one was out on the field, not even the rest of the Body Improvement Club. It was starting to get stormy, which matched my mood.

"Mob!" I yelled. "Where are you?"

Thunder boomed as an answer.

_Damn_, I cursed. _Maybe they're in the locker room. _

I went into the locker room. No one was there. I noticed a locker was half-open, and realised it was my brother's. I peeked inside (the best sisters do it), and found… a love letter? For Mob? I read through it; it was obviously a fake. No girl would say 'I'm a girl' in their letter. And plus, the crappy handwriting was Onigawara's. I knew from all the rude letters he'd sent me.

The letter told my brother to meet 'the girl' at Ankle Park. But the letter was a phoney...

I saw another crudely-written message on the ground. I picked it up. The handwriting was messy, but still readable. And what I read really pissed me off.

_We have Kageyama. Come to Black Vinegar Middle school if you ever want him alive again!_

I put two and two together. _Onigawara must have led Shigeo to Ankle Park, who then got kidnapped by Black Vinegar, to piss off the rest of the Body Improvement Club and make them fight Black Vinegar Middle School… he used Mob as a bait… _

I clenched my fists. Onigawara was going to die so hard zombies would be jealous.

And with that, I left to go to Black Vinegar middle school.

* * *

The weather was awful. The sky kept booming and I saw flashes of lightning in between the clouds. But it was nothing compared to my mood.

Google Maps open, I caught the bus to somewhere near Black Vinegar Middle school. I ran the rest of the way, the wind blowing through my hair. I finally got there. It was a flat, empty field of cement, that looked dry and barren, considering the weather. I was confronted with a bunch of guys lying on that cement, including the Body Improvement Club (except Mob), and Onigawara. As soon as I saw him I got really pissed off.

"Hey," I snapped, kicking his legs. "Get up, idiot. You are so dead."

Onigawara mumbled something.

"HEY!" I yelled, kicking him harder. He growled and sat up, then paled when he saw me.

"Arashi- what the Hell are you doing here?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same question," I snapped. "You lured my brother here! I'm gonna freaking kill you!"

Onigawara stood up. "Oh no - I'm not getting beat up by another prissy. But compared to _that_ guy, you're nothing."

"What guy?" I asked.

"This little prick with blonde hair, his name's Teruki Hanazawa, or Teru," Onigawara said. "He was the one that knocked all of us down."

"Seriously…?" I asked, looking at all the guys._ So that's what happened. That guy must be an esper like Mob. No normal person can do this much damage_. "He didn't hurt Shigeo, did he?"

"I saw them fighting before, but they ran off that way," Onigawara said, pointing north. "Where all the craters are."

"Right," I said, squaring my shoulders. "Don't move, Onigawara. I'll be back for you."

"You're not seriously going after them, are you?" Onigawara asked.

"What else do you think I'd do?" I snapped. "Freaking swimming? Mob and I are a good team. Maybe I can't beat Teruki on my own, but with my brother, it's a different story."

Onigawara shook his head. "Crazy girl."

I kicked him again, and ran off to find Teruki and my brother.

…

Onigawara was right about the destruction. It was everywhere. Craters, potholes, debris. It was like something huge had crashed through.

I followed the destruction. It led me through some classrooms, which had huge, gaping holes. The floors were covered in a big mess. The school was going to have fun cleaning it up. And by that I mean the repair costs would be through the roof.

It was pretty ominous, actually. This Teru guy must've been strong if he was causing this much destruction.

I got to a statue of this naked green woman, and found something on the ground.

Mob's phone.

I picked it up. It was still working, but the screen was covered in cracks. I stared at my broken reflection on the screen. I had gone pale.

"Dammit, Mob," I cursed. "I'll save you."

Then I heard a massive explosion. My whole body tensed up, and I ran towards it. Smoke trailed into the already grey sky. I smelled something like the aftermath of a fire. Fire. For some reason, the thought of fire made me feel… strange. I thought of myself surrounded by fire. I was yelling in… victory?

I shook my head. Not now. I had to find Shigeo. I kept running, pushing past more debris. I saw a flash of blonde hair in a building. I ran towards it, sides heaving.

It was a classroom, the windows smashed. There was a guy in there. He had a terrible hair style: a bald patch on the middle of his head, making him look about 50 years old. He was wearing the Black Vinegar uniform. He looked like he was about to have a mental breakdown.

"Hey!" I yelled, storming up to the window. "What's going on in there?"

"Help me wake him up!" the guy screamed. "This isn't over!"

I jumped into the window, tearing my skirt. Oh well. I saw there was another guy on the ground, passed out. My heart jumped when I realised who it was.

Shigeo.

"Shigeo!" I yelled, kneeling beside him. "Oh, crap- what happened?!"

It began to rain outside. I desperately shook my brother's shoulders, trying to wake him up.

"You know him?" the blonde asked, getting closer.

"He's my older brother," I said. I frowned. "Who the Hell are you?"

"Teruki Hanazawa," the guy answered. "You don't look that much like him." So that was Teruki! I had to admit, his appearance was… extremely underwhelming. He was only a little taller than me, and looked about 50 years old with that hairstyle.

"We're adoptive," I snapped. "Any other final words?"

"What?" Teruki asked.

"You did this to my brother," I growled, approaching him. "I'll kill you!"

Before Teruki could reply, we were enveloped by a bright light. We turned around, and faced some of the scariest crap I'd ever seen. This… figure of a person was there. He was made of something like ink blobs. His eyes were bright lights. Power boomed out from him, like radio waves.

"What is that thing?" Teruki asked.

"Shigeo…?" I asked. My heart was pounding. I remembered all that time ago, when I first met Shigeo, when he saved me from some jerk, and let me live with him. From that day forward I'd promised I'd always be in his debt. And that wasn't going to change now, even when he was some kind of messed up entity.

"Do you finally feel like fighting?!" Teruki yelled at the figure. "Even _you_ had to abandon your morals in the end!"

I glared at Teruki. "No, you just made him lose his mind! And if you want to live, you'll get the Hell out of here!"

"No way!" Teruki laughed. "If anything, _you_ should be leaving! This is no place for normal people!"

"He's my brother!" I screamed.

Teruki ignored me and put up a bright yellow shield. Espers have different coloured power, it seemed. Mob's was blue, and his was yellow.

"Stay behind me if you don't want to get hurt," he said, winking at me.

"Oh screw you." I growled. I slipped under a desk as a wave of power literally ripped Teruki's clothes off. He collapsed, covering his crotch.

"You broke down and used them," he cackled, not unlike a madman. "You used your powers against another person, Kageyama!"

I looked at the entity. He was barely recognisable. My heart pounded, and I felt my shoulder burn.

"That's not Shigeo," I said, my voice cracking. "That's not him!"

"What?!" Teruki yelled. The entity began glowing. My shoulder suddenly felt like it had been cut off. I screamed out in pain, as Teruki yelled about his powers being absorbed.

_Get away_, my brain yelled. _Get away! _

I forced myself to stand up. My hair blew in the wind, and I thought I was going to fall over. The school began to shake, and the wall cracked. I cried out.

"Mob!" I yelled. "Mob, you have to stop!"

The entity didn't move.

"SHIGEO KAGEYAMA!" I screamed with all my might, as the ground split apart. Teruki began yelling protests. "LISTEN TO ME! YOU HAVE TO STOP!"

The school broke apart into chunks and floated into the sky. I felt my whole body go weightless, like I was swimming. Except I was going up. It was so surreal, yet I'd never been more determined: I knew it was time to do something stupid.

"SHIGEO!" I yelled once more. I reached forward and grabbed the entity's arm. And everything went white.

...

"_Is this the one you want…? Of course I'll buy it for you, Arashi."_

"_Don't worry, sis. I won't let Dad do anything to us."_

"_Arashi, wait- give her back!"_

"_A powerful one… something must be done about that…"_

"_Yes… she mustn't remember…"_

_**"̷̩̱̱̲̯̜̪̿͗̋͑̉͋͒̓̌͠Ḏ̸̨͓̭̘͔͗́̓̐̃̾̄̕̚͝ o̷̧̯̮̝̙͌͗̇ n̷̞̟̺̼̳̤̣̄͑͒̈̈̽͒̍͛͘͝ '̸̡̱̮̖̅̃͊́ͅt̴̡̜̘͔̩͇͖̮̭͖̬̫͔̪̎̾̈́̀͛̂ ̵̭̳̙̖̦̪̦͕͚͕̝̮͓̮́͋̅̏̑̈͋͂̀̋̈̑͠ w̷̗͖̭͔̹͖̮̓͆͆͘̕ ǫ̸͕͇͎̝̼͙͖̬̇̐ ŗ̸̛̛̪͇̘̳̳̝̪͖̻̳̺͇͐̀̀̎̾̿͂͒̓͌̏͜͝ ŗ̴̨̢̞̝̭͍̪̉ ỵ̴̢̛͉̦̳̗̫̯̿̀̋͗̀̑̌̿̚͝͝,,̷̛͔̄ ̵̟̟͇̻̥͉̯͔͈͙̦̟̇w̶̢̼̻̲̟̟̑̉ e̷̲̫̞͖̅̆ '̷̬͉̖̮͕́͐̑̿̈́̎̈̚̚̕͜l̶̢̺͉͇̪̜͕̋͠ͅ l̵͍̟̤̮͗͆͂̈͗̀̊̔͌̄́̈́͋̚͘ ̷̨̠͍͚͇̘̩̬̠̭̳̇̿̇͆͐͊͆̋̊̉̂̚͝͠ s̴̭͓̺̾́̌̾̋̿͑̚͠ ḗ̸̱͎̳͙̣͚͉͉͓̀̆͂̀̓̉̑̂͊̈́̕͠ͅ e̴̱̪̫̤̿̂̕͠ ̷̨̘̫͍̜͈̰̹̓ y̶̨̢̡̛͖̘͒͆̈́̅̂͑̏̅̂͝ͅ ỏ̴̼͆̑̍̀̄̀̊̊̓̊̂̕͘̚ u̸͇̮̹͓̇͑͗̊̈͂͑̅̃͆͒͐̚ ̶̡̻͓̤̙̺̬͈̌͂̆͗͗̋̂͜͝ ȃ̴̱͔̥̼̻͉̙̖͐̒͊̓͗̈́ g̶͍̤͙̬̭̝̠̤̟̘̘̈̊̂̃̾͘̕̕͝͠ͅ à̵̱̱̦̩͈͊͐̉̔̓̽͑̕̚͠ i̵̧̧̳̝̗͎̅̓͊͌̏́ ņ̷̢̧̭̤͈̤̻̫̙̾͒̆̔͒͑̆́͆͂͛̒̈͗ͅ.̸̼͓͉̤͖͑̓̋͐̀"̴̝͖̻͎̮͙̬̺͒̿̀͠**_

I cried out, the voices repeating over and over like a broken record. My whole body felt like it was being turned inside-out and my head was pounding, harder than any of Daizō's drums. I wanted to scream, but my voice was gone. I couldn't even cry.

I felt like I was going to die.

Then I heard a familiar voice say my name.

Shigeo.

I sat up, and stared at my brother. The one who saved me so many years ago. The one I cared about more than anyone else. His eyes were full of tears. He was sitting to me, heartbroken.

"Arashi… I'm so sorry…" he sobbed. "I ruined everything with my powers… again."

I looked around. The entire school was gone. But right now, that didn't matter.

I pulled him into my arms. "It's okay, Shigeo. We all make mistakes. And you tried your hardest."

Mob cried into my shoulder, the one with the tattoo. I realised it was exposed. My school uniform had been torn to shreds. It was covered in gaping holes and burn marks. My hair blew in the wind, like a roaring fiew. The chunks of the school suddenly came back down, light bursting through the stormy clouds. It was rebuilding all around us, like a miracle of the gods. I stared, my jaw agape. My cheeks felt wet with tears.

"I haven't changed… have I?" Mob asked.

"You have," I assured him. "You've made the effort, and I know, you'd never give up."

The school was back to normal. Shigeo wiped his eyes, and I dusted off my uniform. We both stood up.

"Welp," I said, sighing. "Mom is going to kill me."

"Hey…" said a voice. Teruki was there, still naked. "Shigeo, random girl…"

"Arashi." I said.

"Yeah, Arashi," Teruki said, walking over to us. "Just wanted to say… you were right, Mob. About espers. We-"

"Shigeo!" a voice interrupted him. It belonged to Musashi Goda, the rest of the Body Improvement Club behind him. He seemed to be alright. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shigeo said, walking over to him. I saw Tenga Onigawara slinking around in the background, and immediately got super pissed off.

"ONIGAWARA YOU ARE DEAD!" I yelled, and chased after him. Way to ruin my uniform even more, right?

* * *

As soon as I got home after kicking Onigawara's butt, I played a soothing song on _Kumo_, and thought about those voices. Someone important had bought me this ukulele. I didn't know who, but thinking of them made me upset.

Someone had called me 'sis', too. Did that mean I had a real sibling out there? And what did my dad want to do to us?

I glanced at my tattoo. I frowned. I was going to find the one who gave me the tattoo, some day.

"Where've you been?" Ritsu asked, popping his head in. I glared at him. "Your uniform is in shreds."

"None of your business," I said.

Ritsu rolled his eyes. "At least take a towel. You'll catch a cold."

He threw a towel at me. I ignored it, and kept playing.

"You know, about Shigeo," Ritsu said, rubbing his head. "Something happened, once. A little while before you were around."

I stopped playing.

"It was around New Years, and these high-schoolers attacked us," he said. "They wanted our money."

I stared at Ritsu. My older brother.

"One of them kicked me," Ritsu said. "Shigeo tried to help, but they pushed him back, too. He got angry, and unleashed his powers. He hurt all of us, almost killed the high-schoolers. I had to go to hospital. After that, he never used his powers out in public."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Some things are better off not being said," Ritsu said. "But sometimes, you have to speak up."

He walked away before I could ask anything else.

And I had even more questions than before.


	6. Discord, to become one

I hate my bladder.

No, seriously. You're falling asleep, and you're about to drift off, but then suddenly you're overcome with the urge to pee, and no matter how much you try to suppress it, like a fly it just won't piss off. (No pun intended)

So there I was, going to the bathroom during the middle of the night, when I saw Ritsu going down the stairs. Like a spy, I followed him. He went over to the kitchen sink and turned on the tap. He held out his hands, twitching. I thought he was going to have a spasm, when I remembered that Ritsu was trying to get psychic powers again. I sighed. It never really worked for him.

Apparently I sighed too loud, because Ritsu turned around in fright. I slid back into the darkness so he didn't see me. He kept his eyes on the stairs for a few moments, before giving a deep sigh of his own.

One of the few times I felt bad for the guy. I stopped feeling sympathy when I remembered I needed to go to the bathroom. Damn bladder.

* * *

Update on the band: still no pianist.

"Maybe we don't need one after all," I told a disappointed Josh. "We three are fine. Right, Daizō?"

Daizō nodded.

"No," Josh said, clenching his fist. "I'm not letting my band lose this opportunity! We will find a pianist! I swear it on my future children's life!"

"Bold of you to assume someone would want to have kids with you." I said.

_Ba dum tss!_ Thanks Daizō.

And by the way, I was fine with Josh saying it was 'his' band. He was the leader, after all. He'd created it.

Josh glared at me, but didn't comment. "So we'll keep looking. We'll find them. Just like how a squirrel finds its nuts after the Winter."

"You're oddly poetic today," I told him.

"I just got out of language class," Josh said. "I developed a fondness for the poetic arts. And I think knowing them is necessary for me. I am the songwriter, after all."

"Great," I said. "But anyway, back to the piano thing. Our next concert is coming up soon. I hope you've got a plan to get a pianist soon, because we need to start practising."

Josh looked nervous. "Of course I do!"

I glanced at Daizō. He didn't look very hopeful. I could agree with him there. Our luck wasn't very high.

* * *

I was heading to the back of the school to talk to Onigawara about some dumb stuff, when I ran into Tome Kurata. She looked very happy.

"What's up with you?" I asked.

"There are other espers around," Tome said, excitedly. "Your brother and I are going on a date after school, looking for them. With them, we'll be able to contact aliens!"

I forgot how weird Tome was. I also didn't like the word _date_.

"This _date _isn't… romantic… is it?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Of course not!" Tome snapped. "There's no time for romance when aliens are out there!"

"Whatever you say," I said, still a bit suspicious. "I'll be coming, too."

"Of course!" Tome said. "The more eyes, the better."

She ran off after that. I kept walking, eventually reaching the back of the school. I waited for a bit, until Onigawara showed up with his dumb gang.

"This is the girl that beat you up, Onigawara?" one of his gang members asked. "She's like, half your size!"

"Shut up!" Onigawara snapped. He turned to me. "You know who the Shadow Leader is?"

"You mean that Teruki guy?" I asked.

"No," Onigawara shook his head. "He's from this school. He's in the Body Improvement Club. And since your brother is part of it, we'd thought you kno-"

"The kid is stronger than Teruki!" another guy butted in. "We want to make him the new Shadow Leader!"

"Shut up, idiot!" Onigawara snapped. "That was my line!"

I frowned. "Yeah, I do know who this 'shadow leader' is. And trust me, he's a lover, not a fighter. He won't want to go around beating people up for you."

"Seriously?!" Onigawara asked. "The Body Improvement guys said the same thing!"

"They're obviously smarter than you, then," I said.

Onigawara began cursing. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, if that's all…" I said, turning away.

"Hey, Arashi," Onigawara held up his hand. "One more thing."

I turned to him. "What?"

"I'll kick your butt one day," he said. "And then we'll see who's laughing!"

"In your dreams." I sighed, and walked away.

* * *

"Tome, take a look!"

"What is it, another esper?"

Tome, Mob and I were on the 'date'. To Tome's credit, it wasn't romantic after all; we were just looking for espers. It was mind-numbingly boring, since most of it was just sitting around. Mob had spotted an esper, so it seemed.

"No, I just thought that guy had a unique hairstyle." Mob said, pointing at some guy. He really did. It looked like someone had blown his hair back with a leaf-blower.

"Oh wow, you're so right!" Tome said cheerfully. She then angrily lunged for my brother. I got in her way, making her curse quite a lot.

"Calm down!" I yelled. "It's just some random guy!"

Tome frowned, and sat down. We glared at each other.

"I don't see any espers," Mob said, "but I think that guy is stalking us."

"What guy?" I asked. Mob pointed to an alleyway. I narrowed my eyes, but I didn't see anyone there.

"No one there," Tome said. "Are you sure you weren't seeing things, Mob?"

"No," Mob shook his head. "I'm… not sure. But he's gone now."

And we forgot about him. I started to get even more bored of this esper date, and since Tome was pretty much harmless (as long as Mob didn't annoy her), I decided to leave them to it. I began heading home, taking the normal path. And that's when some random guy approached me.

"Hey," he said. "Kageyama."

I turned around, stiffening up. "The Hell are you?"

Some dude with curly, light brown hair and a strange outfit rocked up. He didn't look dangerous, but his garment would've got him arrested by the fashion police. He held out a red business card. "I heard you may need help controlling your psychic powers."

"Whoa," I held up my hands. "You've got the wrong Kageyama. I'm no esper."

"Really?" the guy asked. "Because I invited your brother before, and he's an esper. Usually siblings will all be espers."

_This guy spoke to Mob? _

"They're not… he's not biologically my brother. I'm not an esper." I said, wringing my hands. "Though, I'd like to know what you're doing in this…" I glanced at the business card in his hand. "... awakening lab?"

"All about helping psychic powers grow," the guy said, still smiling. "A group of promising espers helping each other, you know? Well, sorry to bother you, young lady. I wish the best for your brother."

The guy walked off, leaving me somewhat confused. I had some questions for Mob.

* * *

I confronted Mob about the awakening lab, after he came back from the esper date. Oddly, he claimed he didn't know anything about it. Maybe the guy swore him to secrecy? Or maybe…

I gazed at Ritsu. Could it be…?

No. Ritsu didn't have psychic powers.

_Usually siblings will all be espers._

I frowned. I touched the tattoo on my shoulder. It felt hot like a little kettle, but without the steam. My head felt similar.

I spent the rest of the night playing on _Kumo_. And worrying about my older brothers.

* * *

The next morning at school, I was talking to Josh. We were discussing the pianist thing… again.

"Look, how about the new kid in the school band?" Josh asked. "We can try him again, right?"

"No," I said, sighing. "He peed himself last time!"

"So?" Josh asked. "Everyone gets nervous!"

I rolled my eyes. "Josh-"

"Hey," a voice said. It belonged to Onigawara, arms folded. He stared at Josh, then back at me. He was smiling. "Good news, you little snitch."

"What?" I asked.

"I'm leaving the Karate Club," he said. "It's all yours, now."

"Really?" I asked. I felt kind of disappointed, honestly. In a way, I was going to miss Onigawara. Who else was going to put up a good fight? "Why? Are you joining another club?"

"... Body Improvement. Headed there now." Onigawara huffed. "Don't celebrate too hard now that I'm gone. You'll miss me."

"In your dreams." I snorted. Onigawara stuck his tongue out, and walked off.

"SEE YOU IN CLASS!" I yelled, and he gave me the finger. Kind greetings, kids.

"You're friends with that guy," Josh said, after a bit.

"Yeah," I said. "He sucks, but… he's okay, sometimes."

And that's why I was on his side when… something happened.

After I wrapped up my chat with Josh, I headed to class, where everyone was freaking out. It was like they'd found a bomb or something.

"What the Hell?" I asked.

"Our recorders!" a girl screamed. She was from the school band. That's when I noticed tons of broken recorders lying around; they'd been split in half. It was pretty messed up. I raised my brow.

"How did all this happen?" I asked.

"Calm down, class!" said Kamuro, the president of the school council. Ritsu was next to him, a dark look on his face. I didn't like that look. "We will figure this out. Take your seats."

We sat down. I tapped my fingers nervously against my desk. I stared at Ritsu, who avoided eye contact. When he did that, it usually meant he'd done something he didn't want to.

"We'll have to inspect everyone's desk," Kamuro said, "and everyone's belongings."

I put Kumo on my lap, protectively. That's when the door was shoved open, and Onigawara stomped in. He was sweaty, probably from all the exercise he'd done.

"Oh, the teacher's not here," he said, panting. "Not late."

"What's the matter, Onigawara?" Kamuro asked, innocently. "You seem out of breath."

"Huh, what's Kamuro doing here?" Onigawara asked, walking in. "What's going on, anyway? Did something happen?"

"I found them," Ritsu said. He opened Onigawara's desk. "In Onigawara's desk."

In there, indeed, was all the half-broken recorders. I leaned back. No way.

"Huh, who are you?" Onigawara asked Ritsu. "Why are you going through my stuff?"

"It was you!" Kamuro shouted, pointing at Onigawara. "Don't deny it!"

"Deny what?" Onigawara asked, scowling. "What did I-"

"Pervert." said a girl, with a sneer.

"WHO THE HELL JUST SAID THAT?!" Onigawara roared. He stomped over to the front of the classroom and smashed his fist on the front desk. "What is this?! What the Hell did you find in my desk?!"

"Every one of the girls' missing recorder pieces was stashed away in your desk," Kamuro said, sternly. He looked somewhat like a madman, now that I got a better look at him. "You were going to lick them to satisfy your disgusting kink when no one was looking. You're a pervert, Onigawara!"

"What?" Onigawara spat. "Don't make me punch you, Kamuro."

Honestly I felt like punching Kamuro, too. Sure, Onigawara was a jerk, but that wasn't something he would do. He was an honourable jerk. He was never late, had perfect attendance, and dammit, sometimes, he was kind of _decent_.

"Apologise!" Kamuro demanded. The entire class glared at Onigawara. I clenched my fists.

"Hey," I stood up, my fists still clenched. "Look, Kamuro, Onigawara can be a jerk, but this isn't something he would do. Stop accusing him."

"And who are you?" Kamuro turned to me. Ritsu's expression had gone darker.

"I'm Arashi Kageyama," I said. "Ritsu's sister."

"Your sister?" Kamuro glanced at Ritsu. "You never told me about her."

Ritsu looked away.

"Well, then, Arashi Kageyama, do you have any proof that Onigawara did _not_ steal the recorders?" Kamuro asked me.

"I do," I said, narrowing my eyes. "There's no way he could've done it. This morning he was outside for the entire time. You can ask the Body Improvement Club if you don't believe me. Secondly, he's not that stupid. If he really wanted to do that weird kinky stuff, he'd do it outside of school, and not leave behind such a mess!"

"Actually, he did take some outside school," Ritsu said. He opened up Onigawara's bag, which was full of recorder parts. "All in here."

"You-" Onigawara glared at Ritsu. "Quit looking in my bag, you freak!"

Onigawara rushed over to Ritsu and slammed him against the wall. I bowed my head. Part of me wanted to help Ritsu, yet part of me wanted him to suffer. I had a feeling he'd framed Onigawara. Him and Kamuro. The anger inside me grew.

I'd find evidence and prove who the real criminal was.

"Violence, huh?" Ritsu asked, condescendingly.

"Poor Kageyama!" Everyone sobbed, staring at the scene. This was followed with chants of 'pervert!'

"Let him go, Onigawara," Kamuro said. "Unless you want to get into more trouble?"

Onigawara growled, and let my brother go. His face was red. "Screw you guys! You all suck!"

"Run everyone, the pervert lost his temper!" Kamuro cried. The students fled from the room, screaming like young children.

"No! Wait, I didn't do it!" Onigawara yelled. He stared hopefully at some girl, but she too called him a pervert.

They all left until only Onigawara and myself were left. Onigawara stood there, in shock. He looked heartbroken.

"Hey," I said.

"Why?" he asked, quietly.

"Huh?"

"Why did you defend me?" Onigawara asked. "After how I treated you?"

"Because you're not guilty," I said. "The whole recorder thing was bullcrap. My brother was involved, and he schemes up some stuff."

Onigawara's expression was hard to read. "I just… thought… some girl would be on my side..." He sighed. "Except it's you. My enemy."

"I'm not your enemy," I told him. "If I was, I wouldn't be on your side."

Onigawara almost smiled.

"We'll figure out who really was the culprit," I said, "and then we can kick their butt. Together."

"You're not so bad after all, idiot," Onigawara said. He sighed, and muttered, "... thank you."

"What was that?" I asked, with a smirk.

"Thank you," Onigawara growled. "I said thank you, okay? Now are you gonna help me or not?"

"Sure." I said, smiling.

* * *

I wanted to talk to Ritsu. Sure, he could be mean to me, but framing Onigawara didn't seem like something even he'd do. He was a goody-two-shoes, straight-A student, teacher's pet, you name it. Not a delinquent.

I had just got out of Karate Club (I did kind of miss Onigawara after all) and was headed to the student council room to find Ritsu. That's when I heard the most beautiful sound ever.

I whipped around. From a small classroom, I could hear someone… playing Beethoven. But with a twist. Some of the notes were switched around, yet the sound still sounded amazing and respectful to the original piece.

I walked into the room. Playing the piano was a girl around my age, maybe older. She had long, black hair with a small ponytail on top. Her fingers danced across the keys, like any professional. I knew right then and there we wouldn't find any better in the school. She was the top.

"Excuse me," I said. The girl looked up with fright, then stared at me.

"Can I… help you?" she asked shyly, pulling her fingers through her hair.

"That's some skill you got there," I said. "How would you like to join a band?"


	7. Exaltation, I've obtained loss

**A/N: I don't hate Ritsu or anything, don't worry, he'll be put into a more positive light. ;3 Also, feel free to look at my PFP on FFN to see what Miko looks like! :D**

* * *

This girl could play.

Sure, she was very quiet and got easily flustered, but she could _play_. Safe to say, the boys were very impressed.

"You go, Miko!" Josh said. He smiled at me, as to say, _you saved our band!_

Oh yeah, the girl's name was Miko. She was 14, and taller than me. She'd been playing piano since she was young, she told me. I hadn't seen her around before, so either she was new or very low-key. But I couldn't complain too much. She was one Hell of a pianist.

"This is gonna be our best performance yet!" Josh cheered. He waved his arms around like he was a cheerleader. "Go Paranormal Investigation!"

"Yeah..." Miko said, blushing. I patted her on the back.

"Don't be too nervous," I said, smiling. "We'll do great."

Miko nodded, brushing the dark hair out of her grey eyes. Daizō gave her a thumbs up. She must've been good to get a reaction out of him.

"Hey," Miko said. "You know. I was thinking about making some, like... bracelets or something for the band."

"We already have shirts, but more merchandise can't hurt!" Josh said, grinning. "Go for it, girl!"

Miko nodded. "Okay, then."

Josh put his arm on my shoulder. "The school will be at its knees when it sees our next performance. It-"

"HEY!" the band room door slammed open, and my friend Tenga Onigawara stormed in. Josh looked like he was about to pass out.

"What do you want?" I asked Onigawara.

"Your brother Ritsu is a psychopath," Onigawara said.

"Not surprised," I sighed. "What's he done this time?"

"He got one of my friends suspended," Onigawara said. "He... and Kamuro."

Alright, hold up. Let's rewind a bit.

The previous night, Ritsu had been acting weird. Weirder than normal. He kept talking to himself (I presumed), and giving me funny stares. It was almost like he was trying to threaten me or something.

"The Hell is wrong with you?" I'd asked him. "You look like a damn murderer."

"Heh," Ritsu had said, staring at his hands. "You better watch out, Arashi."

He'd walked away after that, still creeping me out.

Back to Onigawara. I was scowling.

"Yeah, he's acting really weird lately," I said. I clenched my fists. "And I'm going to figure out why."

* * *

Operation: Ritsu started by stalking him after school. I put on a grey hoodie, and followed him as he walked home. I made sure I wasn't too visible, because if he saw me, I was in big trouble.

Ritsu walked along his regular street, a serious look on his face. A group of boys from our school were standing nearby, glaring at him. I flattened myself against the wall, hiding with the trash cans. A person in a blue hoodie clambered out of one of them, freaking me out. They winked at me before disappearing.

"Excuse me," Ritsu turned to the boys, "can I help you with something?"

"I heard from Kamuro that you're the one that's been planting all that false evidence around," one of the boys said, a dark shadow over his face. "Tell me, are you the one who framed us?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ritsu said, dropping his bag. His expression became twisted. "Even if I did do such a thing, it's too late."

"Why you little-" the boy growled, holding out his fists. "Who in the Hell do you think we are?!"

He launched his balled fists towards Ritsu, but my brother simply caught them in his palm, and forced him to the ground. The others raced towards him, all reaching the same fate. Soon, Ritsu was surrounded by a bunch of unconscious teen boys. My eyes went wide.

Ritsu began to cackle, like some kind of Disney villain. My heart was racing. Since when was Ritsu _this_ strong?!

That's when another guy walked over. But it wasn't just any random guy. It was Teruki Hanazawa.

And his _hair_. You should've seen it. The blonde wig was almost as tall as him! Girls across the street were snapping pictures of it, and some little kid was having a mental breakdown. I couldn't blame him. I was convinced _I_ was going to have a mental breakdown.

"Hey, you there," Teruki said.

Ritsu stared at him. "What's up?"

"I think you've done enough," Teru said. "If you depend on that, you'll get hurt. You've got the wrong idea about this; you think you're really special. I know. It's hard to look at someone the way I used to be." He held out his arms. "Consider this a warning. Don't try to live relying on psychic powers."

_Wait, what?_ I almost had _another_ mental breakdown._ Ritsu… Ritsu has psychic powers?!_

"Are you another esper, like me?" Ritsu asked Teru. Yep. Ritsu was an esper. Both my freaking brothers were espers. Fantastic.

Ritsu scowled. "I have no idea who you are, but I have no need to take warnings from you."

Ritsu held out his hand. It was probably some kind of rude gesture espers made at each other. Teru took his hand, almost too quickly.

"Why thank you for the handshake," Teru said. "I'm Teruki Hanazawa. It's a pleasure."

Ritsu fell over, his eyes wide with shock. He had gone completely pale. Trust me, I felt just the same.

"Fallen over, huh?" Teruki laughed. "You're so young."

A blast of wind made Teruki leap back and shock and grab his wig. I rolled my eyes. He went from intimidating to stupid in two seconds. Espers for you.

While Teruki focused on not losing his wig, Ritsu made a run for it. I raced after him, but not before staring at Teruki.

"You really showed him," I said.

"Oh, hey," Teru said, keeping his hands on his wig. "Shigeo's sister. Nice to see you again."

"Right, because the last time we met was super nice," I grumbled. "I still owe you a butt-kicking, by the way. So keep your hair on."

I ran away before Teru could ask anymore questions. I followed Ritsu, who ran until he reached a metal pole. He panted, putting his hand against it.

"I was surprised at how strong he was back there," Ritsu said. "Maybe it's because his brain is so developed?"

"I'm questioning how developed _your_ brain is when you're talking to yourself!" I snapped, pinning my brother against the pole. He yelped out in shock. "Why the Hell didn't you tell me you had psychic powers?! Why are you so violent all of the sudden? What the Hell is wrong with-"

Ritsu interrupted me by grabbing my arm. "You were following me, weren't you?"

"Obviously, you idiot," I snapped. "You've been acting weird lately, and knowing you, you kept it all _inconspicuous_. But I've got you figured out. You're an esper! And!" I glared at him. "I bet you've got some kind of scheme planned. After all, who else would've framed Onigawara and his friends?!"

"You're friends with delinquents," Ritsu said, "or maybe, you _are _a delinquent. After all, you keep getting into fights all the time. Maybe you'll be the next to leave." He gave me a dark look, similar to the ones he'd given those boys. "I could tear you down piece by piece, Arashi. How fun that would be."

"What the Hell?!" I yelled. "What's wrong with you?"

I slapped him. He held his cheek in pain, and gave me a stare. He looked kind of sorry, but that quickly turned to rage.

"I'm not going to let you push me around anymore," he growled, glowing blue, like Mob did. I held up my arms in a defensive position, but he never struck.

"Shigeo would never forgive us," he said, sighing. "But don't worry. I'm not done."

He turned away, like he was about to leave.

"Wait, Ritsu," I said. "One more thing."

He looked at me.

"Tell me about the Awakening Lab." I said.

* * *

"Well, this is it. The Awakening Lab."

"This thing?" I asked, frowning. "This is an apartment building."

Ritsu and I were standing in front of a pretty-average apartment complex. It was grey and looked about twenty-stories tall.

"I know," Ritsu said. "But it's the place." He walked towards the door, muttering, "Yeah, I know. Hopefully she'll leave soon."

"Who the Hell are you talking to?" I asked.

"None of your business," he said. He opened the door and walked inside. He looked back. "Are you coming?"

I frowned, and followed him inside. We didn't say anything as we entered the elevator, though I swore I heard Ritsu muttering some more. The elevator opened with a ding, revealing a nice, modern living area. A bunch of kids around our age were there, talking and chatting. And the happy guy with the bad fashion sense was there, too.

"Ah, Kageyama!" the guy said, cheerfully. "Welcome back! And I seen you've brought…" His brow raised as he stared at me. "Your sister!"

"She's only here because she got curious," Ritsu said. "She's not an esper. She'll be leaving soon."

"Hey," I snapped. "_I'll_ decide when I'll leave."

"Well, you're very welcome here," the guy said. "I'm Kenji Mitsuura. I own this building. I put fortunes in it so I could learn how to become an esper myself."

"Okay…" I said. I'd never met any other espers beside Mob before, so this was something new. I looked at all the kids there. "So these guys are espers, huh?"

"Yep!" said this blond boy in a blue jacket. "I'm Go Asahi! I'm a pyrokinetic." He held up his finger. "Watch this!" He groaned, as we watched with anticipation. A teeny tiny flame erupted from his finger. I was so underwhelmed I was speechless.

"I'm Takeshi Hoshino!" a boy with fancy hair and a crescent-moon-shaped face said. "I'm telekinetic!" He held up a fork, and like Go Asahi, groaned, until the fork bent about 1.5 centimeters. The others clapped.

"You've got to be kidding." I muttered.

"I'm Rei Kurosaki!" a girl wearing a pink jacket said. "My power is clairvoyance!"

"She has a 62% accuracy!" Kenji added, as Rei looked over a pile of eight cards. She cheered with glee when she picked the 'right one'. I had to stop myself from committing self-defenestration.

"And we are the Shiratori twins," said two young boys that looked like Minecraft characters. "We're telepathic." They stood a distance away, and both yelled, "Ah ha! You were thinking of rice."

"This is embarrassing," I muttered. Mob's level of power must have raised the bar for psychic powers in my eyes. That, or these guys just really sucked.

"I can't disagree," Ritsu muttered back. "Well, you've seen it now. Happy?"

"You're much more powerful than any of them," I replied. "Why are you here?"

Ritsu stared at his shoes. "To learn how to control my powers."

He sounded kind of sad, and for a moment, I almost felt bad for him. But then I remembered what he'd done.

"You were right," I said. "I'm leaving."

"Bye, Arashi!" Kenji said. "If you see any other espers, tell them to stop bye!"

I decided not to mention that my other brother was also an esper. Because I had something else to worry about: foiling Ritsu's schemes.

* * *

"So, that's why I started karate." I told Miko. "It's really good. You should join."

"Sounds scary…" Miko said, staring at her feet.

"Eh, it's fine," I said. "Makes you look cool, too."

Miko shrugged. She opened her lunch box. "Want some cookies?"

"Sure," I said, taking one. "Thanks." I was about to take a bite, when someone interrupted me.

"Arashi Kageyama," it was Kamuro, with Ritsu loitering in the background. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Kamuro," I said, glaring at him. "What are you doing here?"

"You've gotten in a lot of fights, haven't you?" he asked. He smirked. "And I know about your latest scheme."

"What latest scheme?" I asked, scowling.

"Graffiting the walls outside the school," Kamuro said. He held up photos of someone in a school uniform (that sort of looked like me), covering the school's back walls with rude words in graffiti. "Don't try to deny it. An anonymous student caught you."

"What the Hell?" I asked, holding up my fists. "I never did that! You're framing me!"

"That's what the victim would say," Kamuro said, his face tightening into an evil smirk. "After all, you've spent a lot of time in detention and are friends with the delinquents. Hard to believe your brother is in the Student Council."

I was so angry I nearly punched the wall. "Go to Hell."

"Off you go," Kamuro said.

I stormed off, ignoring Miko yelling my name.

* * *

"It sucks, Shigeo," I sighed, as we ate ramen. "I didn't even do anything!"

Tome had gone home after we failed to find any espers. So now Mob and I were in my favourite noodle bar, and as usual, I was complaining about stuff. I was telling Mob all about Ritsu... and how there was some guy from our school beating people up. I believed he was White T Poison.

"I believe you," Mob said. "You never liked art anyway."

"I can't even enjoy this," I said, pushing my ramen back. "It's just… Ritsu. I need to find him."

"Okay, I'll come too," Mob said. So the two of us looked for Ritsu. Teruki ran into us, and led us to him. What we found was horrifying.

Ritsu was in an alleyway, surrounded by a bunch of unconscious people.

"What." I said. "What the actual Hell."

_White T Poison _


	8. The older brother bows

**A/N: Sorry about last chapter's mix up, guys... it was fine on the other sites I post this story on so IDK what happened here :/**

* * *

"Arashi, Shigeo," Ritsu said, staring at us. "What are you doing here?"

"I think we should be asking _you _that question," I said, clenching my fists. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Ritsu looked away.

"Did you do all of this, Ritsu?" Mob asked, quietly.

Ritsu looked up with a dark glance. "Yes. I am responsible."

"You," I stormed up to him, holding out my hands, "are a little piece of..."

"No way," Mob said, with an oblivious smile. "You're joking. I mean. Seriously, brother-"

"Seriously," Ritsu said, glaring down at me. "I did this. See, I finally obtained psychic powers."

"I…" Mob went pale. "I thought Arashi was joking."

"You think I'd _joke _about that?!" I snapped. Mob stared at his shoes. I suppose I couldn't blame him. Sometimes I did joke around him, and my jokes often weren't that funny.

Ritsu pushed me out of the way, his focus on Mob. "Listen, brother. I've come to learn something very important."

Mob stepped forward. "I don't know what you mean, Ritsu. If there's something bothering you, you can-"

Ritsu's body glowed, and he released a wave of energy. Mob held up his arms, almost falling over.

"You do have psychic powers," he said, in awe. Then his face brightened up. "You did it! You've wanted psychic powers for so long, and you've finally got them! Do you remember when we were little kids, and you'd get so upset when you couldn't bend spoons?"

"Shigeo," I warned. "He's gone crazy."

"Let me talk," Ritsu growled at me. He turned back to Shigeo. "Listen to me, Shigeo. I'd always wanted psychic powers, and because _you_ had them, I'd always admired you."

"Really?" Shigeo's face lit up. "You're making me blush."

"Until recently, I realised that was a big misunderstanding," Ritsu said. "I couldn't handle the feeling of inferiority and fear. I was protecting myself by thinking it was admiration."

"He was jealous of you," I added. "Really jealous."

"Shut up," Ritsu growled at me, "or I'll throw you through the wall!"

"In front of Mob?" I asked. "I thought-"

"The deal's over, Arashi," Ritsu snapped. He flinched, breathing out hotly. "I don't care anymore. Now, I'll say it one more time: _shut up_."

"What… deal?" Mob asked. "Why are you being so mean to her?"

"You see, brother," Ritsu said, "I was always scared of you. So scared that we couldn't have a fight as brothers, and the only person I could argue with was my little sister. Fighting you would be suicidal; you'd overwhelm with your powers. So I stayed out of your way. Arashi and I even kept our feuds a secret to stop you from getting stressed, and unleashing your powers. But I was always so frustrated; I had to work so hard, and I got nothing in return. I was nothing compared to you. But now…"

Ritsu held up a glowing fist. "Now I've obtained them. Now I don't have to be scared anymore. The delusional admiration is gone. Actually…" his face was covered in shadows. "This 'buddy-buddy' act of ours ends now. It's sad to admit, but my relationship with Arashi felt more fulfilling, and we did nothing but argue. It's over, Shigeo. I'm done."

There was a moment of silence.

"Ritsu…" Mob looked up with pride. "I can tell… that's all a lie."

"I want you to face me!" Ritsu yelled. "Hit me with the full force of your powers!"

"But part of what you said is true," Mob said. "I am your brother. Which means, I have to take care of you."

Mob walked past Ritsu, and to the masses of unconscious people. He bowed down.

"I'm very sorry my little brother hurt you," he said. "Please forgive him. He just lost his temper."

"He's not serious," I said.

"For once, I agree with you," Ritsu muttered.

"What'd you say?" one of the guys on the ground asked, opening his eyes. "You're the older brother of that freak show?"

"Yes," Mob said, shaking. "And I'm very sorry."

"You idiot!" the guy yelled.

"You need to grovel down on your knees first!" another yelled.

"Oh… okay," Mob said. He bent down, and got on his knees.

"Stop it," Ritsu and I said simultaneously.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Ritsu yelled. "Cut it out!"

"I don't normally side with him, but for the love of God, Shigeo, stop it!" I yelled. "You could get hurt!"

"There isn't any use in trying to get me to stop, guys," Shigeo said. "I'm your big brother, after all."

_**Progress towards Mob's explosion: 7%**_

Gods, I love Shigeo, but there are some times I want to slap him in the face.

The guys that Ritsu had knocked down were up now, and all laughing at Mob.

"Hey, White T Poison," one of the guys said. "You'd better get over here before we beat the crap out of your brother."

"Please, enough fighting," Mob said, looking up. "I just want to end this."

"As if we'd take orders from you, small fry," the first guy said, hoisting Mob into the air. "Only the strongest will rule."

If only they knew the truth.

"Hey!" I growled. "Let him go!"

I ran forward and kneed that guy in the crotch. He fell over, and I pulled Mob away.

"Girls shouldn't be fighting," another guy said. "Girls like you shouldn't even be here!"

"Piss off," I yelled, holding my arms in front of my face. "It's the people who can't _actually_ fight who shouldn't be here!"

Then, out of nowhere, a guy in a purple hoodie fell from the sky. He grabbed Ritsu, who squirmed and fought back. Ritsu kept fighting, so the guy stepped on him, forcing him to stay on the ground. I couldn't tell much about the guy, but he seemed to have a beard and some piercings.

"Ritsu!" Mob cried.

"Who the Hell are you?!" I asked.

"I was gonna say that!" a guy complained.

"As one of you said, the strongest will rule," said the hoodie dude. "You guys probably feel tough, fighting around your school turfs. And that's great, adorable. You keep doing that. But this guy," he held up Ritsu, who was bleeding, "this guy is on a whole other level. You can't beat him, so I'm taking him."

"Hey, that's our target!" a guy yelled. He and his friends ran towards Mr. Hoodie, who easily blasted them away. Other guys were smart and left. I clenched my fists, sweat dripping down my cheeks. I had no chance against Mr. Hoodie, and Ritsu wasn't my best friend, but I didn't want Mr. Hoodie to hurt him, either.

Mob grabbed Mr. Hoodie's shoulder, his powers glowing.

"My little brother," he said. Mr. Hoodie punched him in the face, sending him flying.

"Shigeo!" I yelled. I ran towards the place where he'd crashed. He'd smashed into a wall, covered in bruises and blood trickling from his nose.

"Shigeo," I said, helping him sit up. "Are you okay?"

"Ritsu," He said, his voice drained.

"I know," I said. "There's... nothing I can do." Now I sounded drained. I felt it too: an empty, hollow soul. "Maybe if-"

"Arashi," Mob interrupted me, opening his eyes. "You should leave."

"What?" I asked.

"Get out of here," Mob repeated. "I'm not letting him hurt you too."

He stood up, glowing blue. I stepped right back.

"I don't want to leave you," I said. What if Mob got hurt? I'd never forgive myself.

"Please, little sister, just go," Shigeo said, grabbing my shoulder. "It's too dangerous here for you."

I grabbed the clothing of my school uniform in my fist. Mob's eyes were full of compassion for once, but I saw anger too. I remembered what Ritsu said, about fear. I could understand that. What if Mob _was_ more aggressive? He could've hurt so many people. He could've hurt Ritsu or myself, or our parents. That's probably why it was a good thing _I _wasn't an esper. I had a nasty temper; I'd probably accidentally kill a ton of people.

But despite everything, I felt hurt. I really was the younger sister. Just some girl.

_Girls shouldn't be fighting. Girls like you shouldn't even be here!_

"No," I said, clenching my fists. "I'm not going. I said I'd never leave you. Which is what I'm going to prove right now." I stood up straighter. "I'm gonna stop that guy."

I ran off, towards Mr. Hoodie. He was holding Ritsu over his shoulder, like he was a sack of beans, which only made me more angry.

"Arashi, no!" Shigeo yelled, chasing after me. But too late. I slammed my whole body into Mr. Hoodie, causing him to drop Ritsu in surprise.

"Arashi…" Ritsu muttered. Mr. Hoodie glared at me, but that turned to a twisted smile.

"You know this stupid brat?" he asked, laughing. "What's a little girl doing here?"

"I'll kill you!" I screamed.

"You probably think you're so tough, huh, girl?" Mr. Hoodie asked. "Pathetic. You're just another nobody, like all those idiots back there."

He slammed me into the wall, bits of debris covering my arm. My entire school sleeve got ripped off, and my arm was now covered in bruises. Blood poured out of my nose.

"My little siblings," Mob growled, charging towards Mr. Hoodie, his hair going crazy. He punched him in the stomach. Mr. Hoodie, now coughing, grabbed Mob and threw him to the side. I got back up, not even caring that Mob had used his powers on a person. I glared at Mr. Hoodie.

"You're the idiot!" I yelled, clenching my fists. Mr. Hoodie was staring at my shoulder.

"That… tattoo," he said, his eyes widening. "You're associated with… Claw?"

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"No way," Mr. Hoodie said. "You can't be. You're not an esper. Unless-"

He was interrupted by Mob blasting him into the ground. Mr. Hoodie roared and turned around, grabbing Mob and kneeing him in the gut. He then chucked Mob into the air. Mob came crashing down, covered in blood and saliva. His eyes were full of tears, and my heart was breaking.

"Shigeo!" I screamed.

"I'll get back to you, girl," Mr. Hoodie said, looking at me. "For now, stay put."

He clicked his fingers, and suddenly I couldn't move. All I could do was sit there, like a statue. Then Mr. Hoodie began beating the crap out of Mob. Like, seriously. He gave him punches that would've killed a normal person. Shigeo looked beaten and broken, his body turning to mush. Even the delinquents were shocked.

It was absolute torture for me.

I was screaming and screaming, but nothing came out. I tried to move, but nothing. Tears built up in my eyes. I'd failed to protect him. I'd lost. I was a horrible sister. My shoulder was burning, and I accepted its pain as punishment.

_Worthless girl. You shouldn't be here. _

"Stop it…" I heard a voice say. Ritsu. Oh, God. He was our only hope.

"Stop hurting him!" Ritsu yelled, getting up. He wrapped his arms around Mr. Hoodie, begging him to take him instead.

"Wise decision," Mr. Hoodie cackled, "but I don't play fair." He turned around, holding up glowing fists. Ritsu had tears in his eyes.

_Not Ritsu. Not him too._

"What's with that look on your face?" Mr. Hoodie asked. "I think I'll have to wipe it off!"

_No. Make it stop! _

Suddenly, I realised my hands could move; this was proved by the fact that I could flex my fingers. I let out a cry. Shigeo's hand was on my shoulder. He looked extremely pissed off. I'd never seen him more angry, ever.

"This is what you get for hurting my siblings," he said to Mr. Hoodie in that tone of voice that was scarier than any amount of yelling. "I've never been conscious before when this has happened… now you get my rage."

And that's how I knew Mr. Hoodie was done for.

Shigeo blasted Mr. Hoodie into the ground, absolutely destroying him with power. Mob then slammed him into the wall. Mr. Hoodie looked petrified, probably because Mob was squeezing his face. I almost had to look away.

"You who attacked my siblings and me unprovoked," Mob said. "You brought this upon yourself. And now you're going to pay for it."

Mr. Hoodie began sweating.

"Don't you ever show your face in front of us again," Mob growled. Then everything began exploding. I looked away, still feeling awful. Hopelessness dawned on me like an icy rain.

"Get out of here," Ritsu told me.

"Too late for that," I replied. I covered my face, as the explosions raged on. The espers continued fighting. It was the most amazing fight I'd ever seen. It was also extremely terrifying. My heart was racing, and I was covered in blood. It didn't help that I got hit in the face by a blast of something, and my vision went all blurry.

...

"_Mom, Dad, I found this girl, all by herself in the rain. I saved her from a bully..."_

"_Ew, a sister? I don't want a sister..."_

"_You're so much braver than me, Arashi…"_

"_You don't have powers either. I guess we're alike in that way."_

"_What's with that tattoo? Where are you from?"_

"_I'll never leave you. I promise."_

_..._

"Shigeo… Ritsu…" I muttered. Then everything went black.

* * *

I woke up in some small apartment with Shigeo. Teruki was there, wearing an ugly pink sweater. Mob was wearing a blue shirt, and I was wearing a shirt with my band's logo on it.

"What's happening?" I asked, shaking his hand. "Where am I?"

"You got knocked out during that fight," Teruki answered. "And you're in my apartment."

"Oh, right," I said. I stared at my lap. "Ritsu's gone."

"He's been kidnapped," Shigeo clarified, staring at his hands.

"Who was that guy?" I asked. "The one with the hoodie who kidnapped Ritsu?"

"He's part of an organisation called Claw," Teruki said. "They're a group of dangerous espers who want world domination. There's over 100 who are actively involved. Apparently, they brainwash child espers from a young age, forcing them to be soldiers. They're not as powerful as us naturals, but still. They've been following me around for a few years. It's why I live by myself. Strangely enough…" he glanced at my shoulder. "Their logo is the tattoo on your shoulder."

I went pale. "But… I know nothing about Claw. And I'm no esper. Why would their tattoo be on my shoulder?"

Teruki glared at me with suspicion. "I don't know. But it's obvious you've had some kind of history with them. Maybe… you're a double agent."

"What?!" I yelled. "I swear on my life, I don't know who Claw is. If I have been associated with them, well, Hell, I never knew about it!"

"I don't believe you," Teruki said, still glaring at me. "I don't trust you, either."

"Well, I don't trust you!" I snapped back.

Shigeo stood up, slightly agitated. "I'm going after my brother."

"No!" Teruki and I both yelled. Teruki and Shigeo then looked up at the sky, and both nodded.

"Um?" I asked.

"Oh, sorry," Teruki said. "There's a spirit following us around. Forgot you couldn't see him. His name is Dimple. He just said we should go to this place called 'the Awakening Lab'."

"Dimple... isn't that... the guy that was the master of that LOL cult?" I asked, frowning.

Mob nodded.

"Right then." Then I gasped. "Hey… I know where the Awakening Lab is! I went there with Ritsu!"

"Hmmm," Teruki said, frowning at me.

"Lead the way," Mob said.

* * *

We headed over to the Lab, but there was nothing there. All the scientists had been knocked unconscious, including Kenji. We splashed water on him to wake him up.

"Whoa! Girl!" he shouted when he saw me.

"Have you been selling information about Ritsu Kageyama to Claw?" Teruki asked Kenji.

"No!" Kenji yelled. He paused. "Wait… who's Ritsu?"

"My brother?" I asked. "He was the one who came here."

"But…" Kenji paused, shaking his head. "I thought… what about Shigeo Kageyama?"

"I'm Shigeo Kageyama," said Mob. Kenji's eyes widened in surprise.

"And what happened to all those other kids?" I asked.

"They were kidnapped!" Kenji cried.

I frowned. Those poor kids. They weren't even that powerful...

"What were their abilities like?" Teruki asked.

"Not great," I answered. "Nothing like yours."

And to prove that, Teruki lifted my brother into the air with his powers. What a great guy.


	9. Claw, 7th Division

"This is a big organisation," Teruki told Mob and I. He glanced at me. "Though, I bet you already knew that."

"I did not," I snapped.

"You're going to need someone pretty smart and strong to help you break in," Teruki told Mob, ignoring me. "And glamorous."

"Like Arashi?" Mob asked.

I smirked at Teruki, who scowled.

"I meant me," Teruki grunted. "Let's team up for this one."

"You sure, Hanazawa?" Mob asked.

"I figured Claw would catch up with me again some day, so I may as well go at them while I still have a fighting chance," Teruki said. He pointed at Mob. "And by fighting chance, I mean you, Shigeo."

Mob began to sweat. Chances are, he was probably more worried about Teruki getting hurt than himself. I guess 'Dimple' must have said something, as both the boys stared at an empty space next to them. There seriously was a language barrier between espers and us normal people.

"Wait!" Kenji stood up. "I can help too! If there's anything you need, let me know!"

"That won't be necessary," Teruki dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "I'm confident that the next attacker will be here very soon."

"Wait, _what_?!" I asked.

Just then, three guys showed up. One of them had hair like a skunk and golden rings on his fingers. He seemed like the type of guy who thought he was proper solid just because he had an edgy hairdo.

"We're looking for Kageyama," he said. "Now, who would that be?"

I was going to say 'me', for Mob's sake, but he and Teruki were already getting up.

"Let's ask him some questions," Teruki said. He raised his hand, lifting skunk hair off the ground, and wrapping ropes around his two lankeys.

"Wha- hey, let me go, you little brat!" Skunk hair yelled, thrashing around.

"Cold water, please, Shigeo," Teruki said, waving his hand. Mob brought out a bucket full of ice-cold water. Just looking at it made me shiver. Teruki glared at Skunk hair. "You'd better answer our questions, or you're going in the bucket."

"Never!" Skunk hair yelled.

"Suit yourself." Teruki shrugged, and dipped him in the water. Skunk hair yelled and thrashed around even more, having the panic attack of the century. It was honestly pretty hilarious; I had to hold back my giggles.

My brother didn't seem to find it as funny. "He looks pretty tired, Teru. Maybe we should give him a sip of water."

"Not for scum like these," Teruki said. "Either way, seems like this guy won't talk. Claw's elite, the Scars, live up to their name. Despite getting scars from fighting their boss, their abilities were acknowledged, and they were put in the upper echelon."

Teruki dipped Skunk hair in the water again. "This guy's name is Terada. I thought he'd be more powerful than this, but I guess not. He's been beaten and tortured, just like Koyama!" He shook Terada, freaking him out. "Now talk!"

"You already said everything I know, kid!" Terada cried.

"He's got a point," Mob said, holding up a notepad. "He's told us their secret base, their powers…"

"Maybe, but I find it hard to believe he's told us everything." Teruki said.

"Actually, I have a question of my own," I said. I stepped forward, and pushed off the clothing on my shoulder, revealing my scar. "Why do I have this tattoo?"

Terada's eyes widened. "You must've been an experiment of theirs."

I slowly dropped my arm. "An… experiment?"

"They do tests on esper children there," Terada said, "and sometimes, attempt transfer their abilities to normal children. Either you were a subject of a transfer, or you were an esper yourself, who had her powers neutralised."

"They can… do that?" I asked.

"I've only ever heard of it happening once," Terada said, "it's rarely successful. You probably were a transfer kid who somehow managed to get released."

"But I don't…" I went pale. "... remember anything."

_**"̷̩̱̱̲̯̜̪̿͗̋͑̉͋͒̓̌͠Ḏ̸̨͓̭̘͔͗́̓̐̃̾̄̕̚͝ o̷̧̯̮̝̙͌͗̇ n̷̞̟̺̼̳̤̣̄͑͒̈̈̽͒̍͛͘͝ '̸̡̱̮̖̅̃͊́ͅt̴̡̜̘͔̩͇͖̮̭͖̬̫͔̪̎̾̈́̀͛̂ ̵̭̳̙̖̦̪̦͕͚͕̝̮͓̮́͋̅̏̑̈͋͂̀̋̈̑͠ w̷̗͖̭͔̹͖̮̓͆͆͘̕ ǫ̸͕͇͎̝̼͙͖̬̇̐ ŗ̸̛̛̪͇̘̳̳̝̪͖̻̳̺͇͐̀̀̎̾̿͂͒̓͌̏͜͝ ŗ̴̨̢̞̝̭͍̪̉ ỵ̴̢̛͉̦̳̗̫̯̿̀̋͗̀̑̌̿̚͝͝,,̷̛͔̄ ̵̟̟͇̻̥͉̯͔͈͙̦̟̇w̶̢̼̻̲̟̟̑̉ e̷̲̫̞͖̅̆ '̷̬͉̖̮͕́͐̑̿̈́̎̈̚̚̕͜l̶̢̺͉͇̪̜͕̋͠ͅ l̵͍̟̤̮͗͆͂̈͗̀̊̔͌̄́̈́͋̚͘ ̷̨̠͍͚͇̘̩̬̠̭̳̇̿̇͆͐͊͆̋̊̉̂̚͝͠ s̴̭͓̺̾́̌̾̋̿͑̚͠ ḗ̸̱͎̳͙̣͚͉͉͓̀̆͂̀̓̉̑̂͊̈́̕͠ͅ e̴̱̪̫̤̿̂̕͠ ̷̨̘̫͍̜͈̰̹̓ y̶̨̢̡̛͖̘͒͆̈́̅̂͑̏̅̂͝ͅ ỏ̴̼͆̑̍̀̄̀̊̊̓̊̂̕͘̚ u̸͇̮̹͓̇͑͗̊̈͂͑̅̃͆͒͐̚ ̶̡̻͓̤̙̺̬͈̌͂̆͗͗̋̂͜͝ ȃ̴̱͔̥̼̻͉̙̖͐̒͊̓͗̈́ g̶͍̤͙̬̭̝̠̤̟̘̘̈̊̂̃̾͘̕̕͝͠ͅ à̵̱̱̦̩͈͊͐̉̔̓̽͑̕̚͠ i̵̧̧̳̝̗͎̅̓͊͌̏́ ņ̷̢̧̭̤͈̤̻̫̙̾͒̆̔͒͑̆́͆͂͛̒̈͗ͅ.̸̼͓͉̤͖͑̓̋͐̀"̴̝͖̻͎̮͙̬̺͒̿̀͠**_

...

* * *

One of the best thing about having a psychic brother is when he wants to go from A to B really quickly, he can use his powers to make a car fly through the sky. Which was what was happening right now.

"I see it," Teruki said, as we passed over a building that looked somewhat like a space station. "That's the building, right?"

"That's it," Terada said. The car lowered, and hit the ground with a heavy _thump_! The airbag exploded into Terada's face. Way better than any rollercoaster.

"We should go the rest of the way on foot," Teruki said. So the boys and I got out of the car, walking through a nice, bushy forest. The evening made it dark but surprisingly pleasant. Terada scrambled out of the car, and ran away.

"Hey!" I yelled, about to go after him.

"Don't worry about him," Teruki said, grabbing my shoulder. "He knows he's no threat to us. Let's just focus on rescuing your brother."

I hesitantly relaxed, unclenching my fists. "Fine."

We walked through the forest. We didn't say anything. I guess the situation caught our tongues. I just thought about what Terada said: I was an experiment of CLAW. What did that mean? What sort of things could they have done to me?

Had I been an esper once?

Birds cawing caught my attention, as well as a faint breeze. And then a tree came hurling towards us, attached to two long, glowing red strings.

Teruki suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist, and jumped onto another tree. I began freaking out. Yeah, I was grateful he saved me and all, but it was kind of awkward.

"Shigeo!" he yelled. "Are you okay?"

Teruki and I looked down. Mob seemed to be okay, thank God. The ground was a different story. He was surrounded by a gaping crater.

"I'm fine, but that startled me," he said. "Where did that tree come from?"

Teruki and I climbed down.

"That Terada guy," Teruki said. "He used his telekinetic powers in the form of whips."

"I knew we should've gone after him," I grumbled.

"Say your prayers, brats!" Terada yelled, approaching us with red whips flowing around his hands. "If I let you escape me and infiltrate the facility, my reputation will be ruined!"

"Stay back," Teruki told me, "since you don't have powers, you could get hurt pretty badly."

"Thanks for reminding me." I snapped. I stared at my hands. He was right. I wasn't an esper; no amount karate could help me land a blow on Terada, or any other esper at the facility. But I had to be here anywhere. I had to know what my history was with these guys. And besides, I think we all know by know wherever Mob goes, I go.

Teruki charged towards Terada, but the jerkwad flung out a red whip, and wrapped it around Teruki's neck. Teruki was slammed into a bunch of trees. If he were a normal kid, he would've been very dead. Terada threw more trees at him, making him fend them off.

"Kageyama!" Teruki yelled. "Help! I can only focus on fending off these trees."

"I guess powers have more than one use." Mob said. He raised his hands, and two trees crashed into Terada.

"Nice one!" I told my brother.

"He was finished as soon as Kageyama considered him an enemy," Teruki said. "This battle only lasted one night."

I sighed. Being a normal person was the worst.

* * *

I mean, seriously. The worst.

The ghost I couldn't see, Dimple (who Teruki described as a 'flying booger'), kept making stupid comments along the way. Apparently, he thought I was crazy. He should've been glad I couldn't see him or I would've done his head in!

On the other hand, Teruki was starting to become more… tolerable. He was kinda nice, I suppose.

"You out of all of us needs to be careful in there," Teruki told me.

"I know," I snapped. "You've told me, like, twenty times."

"And you never listen," Teruki said, "but I can't stop you. _Either_ of you. So let's try our hardest to stick together, okay?"

"Sure, whatever." I said. I missed my ukulele. I'm not weird, I'm just sentimental. It was like leaving behind a friend.

I sighed. "And, uh, thanks for saving me from that Terada guy."

Teruki smiled. "My pleasure." He paused. "Maybe you're not associated with Claw after all. Whether you were or not, it would kind of suck to have to fight you."

"That's probably the nicest thing you'll ever say to me," I deadpanned.

"Again, my pleasure," Teruki said. He glared at the sky. "Oh, shut up, Dimple."

"What did he say?" I asked.

"You're better off not knowing," Teruki said. I frowned, and was about to ask more, when Mob interrupted me.

"Guys, look," he said. "That's it."

He was right. Good news: we'd found the entrance of the building. Bad news: it was heavily guarded.

"What should we do?" Teruki asked. They both looked at the space between them, nodding. I sighed. Again with the language barrier.

"Let's focus on rescuing Ritsu." Mob said, shakily.

"I figured out the air whips," Teruki said, long, golden whips appearing in his hands. He easily got rid of the two guards. Well, one of them at least. The other one was acting like he was possessed.

"Sorry about that," the guard said, after a short psychotic episode. "It's much easier to possess people when they're in shock."

"You seem pretty dangerous, Dimple," Teruki said.

"I'm not dangerous," the guard, who was apparently now Dimple, said. "Am I, Shigeo?"

"You are pretty dangerous," Mob said.

"So," I said. "I guess we can actually, like, talk now."

"Yeah," Dimple said. He offered his hand. "Well, I'm Dimple. We met back at the LOL cult."

"A pleasure," I said, shaking his hand, "and by that I mean, it was a pleasure watching my brother beat you up."

Dimple began sweating.

"And I want to beat you up too, now that I think about it," I growled, squeezing his hand. "Who were you calling crazy?!"

"Guys," Teruki stepped between us. "Let's just go, shall we?"

"Fine," I said. I gave Dimple the evil eyes. "But this isn't over between us."

* * *

We were now in the building. It was pretty much like a huge doctor's lab: white walls, shiny floors, and so on. Teruki destroyed a security camera before we moved forward.

"Whoa," some guy stared at us. "Who are you guys?"

I yelled, and kicked the guy in the crotch. He yelped and crawled into a ball. For good measure, Teruki threw him into the wall.

"We'll take care of these lackeys, Mob," Teruki told my brother. "Don't worry."

We walked around a bit more, when another guy showed up. Teruki forced him onto the wall with his powers.

"You kidnapped some children, didn't you?" he asked. "Tell us where they are."

"The basement!" the guy shouted, trying to break free.

"There we go," Teruki said, wiping his forehead. "Let's go to the basement."

Mob looked hopeful. "Alright."

Blah blah, even more walking around. I swore I saw someone spying on me from somewhere. Someone clothed in black.

"I swear we're being stalked," I commented.

"I don't sense anyone," Teruki said, looking behind me, "and there aren't any security cameras."

My shoulder prickled.

"We should split up and look around," Teruki said. "I'll go left, and you guys go right. Arashi, you'll probably want to stay with Mob, so Dimple, you can come with me."

And that's when another guy showed up. But it wasn't just some dumb lackey.

"Not him again," Teruki cursed.

"Oh boy, a miniboss…" Dimple commented.

Yep, Koyama, aka Mr. Hoodie, was back.

Thankfully, Mob defeated him in about ten seconds. As soon as the jerk began talking, Mob flicked his fingers, and threw him around like a bag of crap. I had to admit, I wasn't prepared to see my brother go ham on someone so easily.

The truth was I'd underestimated him. To save Ritsu, he'd do anything.

"Whoa," I said, after a while. "This really is going to get crazy."


	10. The Heinous Aura: Mastermind

"Get those away from me." I growled.

Surrounding my brother and I were a bunch of robotic, doll-like creatures, glaring down at us. Their bodies twitched in a way that pretty much described uncanny valley. I almost wished Teruki and Dimple hadn't run off. Not that I doubted Mob, it's just these stupid dolls were giving me the creeps.

"I'll ask them if they know where Ritsu is," Mob said. Politely, he turned to the nearest robot-doll-thing. "We're looking for our brother. Apparently, he's in this building."

The dolls kept twitching.

"I don't like this," I said.

Suddenly, a little girl ran in the room. She had bright red hair in plaited pigtails, a cute little dress... and a crazy smile on her face.

"It's playtime!" she giggled, staring at us. Gods, I hate creepy little kids. "Get them, dollies!"

I held up my arms, defending myself from the dolls. Mob raised his hand.

"I guess they aren't going to tell us," he said. And, with that, power exploded out from him, destroying all of the dolls. I covered my face, avoiding the splinters. The little girl screamed and ran away.

"Not bad, big bro," I told my brother. I kicked one of the detached arms. "I hated those things."

"I wish they would tell us where Ritsu is," Mob sighed.

"Oh, they will," I said. "Eventually."

That's when the door exploded. A muscular woman in an orange jumpsuit walked in, glaring at us.

"Are you the intruders?" she demanded.

"Are you violent too, old lady?" Shigeo asked.

"Who are you calling old?!" the woman roared, her fists glowing red. She ran towards us. Mob flicked her into the wall. She let out another roar and raced towards us.

"Arashi!" Mob yelled. He pushed me out of the way as the aggressive woman punched him in the face. Blood pooled out of his mouth.

"Shigeo!" I roared back, almost tripping over myself. I hated not having psychic powers. How useless could I be?

I looked around the room. No. I _refused_ to be useless. I was going to do something. That's when I spotted the little girl with pigtails.

"Hey, you," I growled, walking up to her. Her eyes widened.

"You're… not an esper," she said.

"Maybe not, but I can still do some damage," I said. I grabbed her arm, and forced her into a headlock. She screamed and struggled, but I ignored her, even when she bit my arm. Mob was still fighting the woman. She was quick, but he didn't seem to be fighting back much. I bared my teeth.

"Hey, old bat!" I yelled at the muscular woman. "I've got this little brat of yours! Come and get her!"

She glared at me with fury in her eyes. "Brave for someone who doesn't have powers!"

"Mob, now!" I shouted, as the woman raced towards me. I stood my ground, but couldn't stop myself trembling. Shigeo didn't look very enthusiastic about fighting the woman. Then again, he never looked enthusiastic about anything.

That's when he appeared in front of me, forming a shield. He seemed to be trembling as well. The woman punched the shield, still yelling.

"What are you doing?" I snapped at him. "Annihilate her, bro!"

"But my master said that guys who hit women are the biggest losers in the world…" Shigeo said, sadly.

I sighed. "Yeah, that's true, I suppose, but I hit guys all the time - and guys hit guys, and girls hit girls - which, I guess, means we're _all_ losers. Fighting isn't really a good thing Mob - after all, karate's about honour. You shouldn't... use violence all the time. But there are exceptions. Sometimes you have to fight."

Shigeo shifted. Even the girl I was holding was staring at me in amazement.

"Go on," I said. "You have to fight, Shigeo."

Shigeo nodded. He unleashed his power, and threw the woman across the room. She crashed into the wall. He then threw some more energy at her, pretty much forcing her to stay on the wall.

"That's more like it," I told my brother, clapping his shoulder. The little girl let out a cry. I let her go, and she ran over to the woman.

"Let's go," Mob said, after glancing at the now-unconscious woman. The little girl was trying to help her up, which, I admit, made me feel a little bad. Mob and I left, walking through another hallway.

"Where on Earth is he?" I asked, frowning. That's when a dark-skinned man appeared before us, his eyes and hair going crazy.

"You!" he growled, lifting me up with his powers. "You will suffer the wrath of Claw!"

"Arashi!" Mob yelled. I tried to fight back, but it was too late. I heard an explosion, and blood foamed around my mouth.

And suddenly, everything went white.

* * *

"Arashi…"

My eyes fluttered open. That voice…

"Ritsu?" I asked, my eyes widening.

Ritsu was standing before me, a hand on my neck. He was covered in scratches and his clothes were ripped. He was still in his uniform, it seemed. We were somewhere in the Claw HQ. I didn't know where Shigeo was, but for once, I wasn't worried about him.

"You're awake," Ritsu said, sighing. "Thank goodness."

"You actually care about me?" I snapped. "Thought you wanted to get rid of me."

"I _do _care about you," he said. "How can I not, after living with you for so long?"

"Yeah, being backstabbed by you sure was a sign of love." I growled.

"Well, you aren't any better," Ritsu replied, scowling. "You went against the student council multiple times. You act like a delinquent."

"Maybe I wouldn't if _you_ were a better brother," I retorted.

"Maybe I would be if you were a better person!" Ritsu replied. "You took my relationship with Shigeo away from me. Are you trying to make him a delinquent, too?"

"Of course not, idiot," I snapped. "I wouldn't want him to get hurt. Unlike you, who wants to _fight_ him."

Ritsu clenched his fists, blinking back... tears? "If there's anyone who wants to fight all the time, it's you! You don't act like a girl should, like _anyone_ should - I'm ashamed to live in the same house as you!"

I held up my fists. "You're just jealous of me! I've always gotten on better with Shigeo!"

"You took him away from me," Ritsu ranted. "Even Mom and Dad care more about you than me. And you're not even their real child."

"Because I'm a better child," I snapped. "I don't betray people."

Ritsu glared at me, glowing with power.

"I knew it," I said, my voice laced with ice. "Hit me, then, brother. Prove me right."

Ritsu raised his hand. My shoulder began burning. The fabric shifted.

"That tattoo," my brother said, staring at said shoulder. "If anyone's a traitor, it's _you_, sister. It's Claw's symbol."

I felt myself go pale. "Hold on a sec. Ritsu, the tattoo-"

"I don't want to hear it," Ritsu growled, glowing even brighter. "You traitor."

Rage suddenly burned inside me. My nails dug into my palms, and pain raced through me. "Fine! If you wanna treat me like crap, then I'll beat the crap out of you!"

I ran forward, holding out my fists. I punched Ritsu in the cheek. He glared at me, and unleashed some of his powers. I went flying, and landed in the wall. Blood trickled down my cheek, like red tears. He approached me, power growing greater. My heart thumped in horror.

"Go to Hell," I muttered. I stood up, glaring at him. "You want to fight Shigeo? You never will. You'll have to get through me first!"

"I don't want to fight a normal person," Ritsu growled, his eyes almost glowing. "You're all weak."

"Well you're crazy!" I yelled, standing up.

"And you're a traitor!" Ritsu yelled back.

"Not exactly," a voice said. "She's not a traitor. She just used to be associated with us."

We turned around. Standing there was a boy with spiky red hair, the same colour as mine, wearing a highschool jacket. Something about him was familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint what. Both Ritsu and I stared at him.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

The boy laughed. "Don't you remember, Arashi? It's me, Sho."

"Uh, who?" I asked.

Sho smiled. "I'm your twin brother."


	11. The truth is revealed

My whole body tensed up, and my fingers felt like icicles. For once, I was absolutely speechless.

The boy who claimed to be my twin brother stepped towards me. I admit, we did look similar: same red hair and blue eyes. Same face-shape. We were around the same height, too.

"You're twins?" Ritsu asked. I almost spluttered; I'd forgotten he was here.

"Yeah," Sho said. He reached out his hand, blinking, as if he were about to cry. "Arashi, don't you remember me?"

I stepped back.

"Did you know about this?" Ritsu asked me.

"No," I found myself saying. My voice was starting to fail me. "I don't… I don't know what's going on…"

"It was a while ago when we got split apart," Sho said. "You were very young."

"Twin brother…" I repeated. I shook my head. "No… no way." I clenched my fists. "Are you… associated with CLAW?"

"Our father is the leader of it," Sho replied, frowning. "He-"

"So you are associated with CLAW," Ritsu interrupted, glaring at me. I could almost sense a bit of… regret in his voice. "You've been working behind our backs."

"I have not!" I roared. Getting angry really brought my voice back. "Ritsu, you-"

"Enough," Sho said. He zoomed over to Ritsu, as fast as the wind, and knocked him out. I swear I saw a trail of smoke behind him.

"You're an esper," Was all I could say.

"Yes," Sho nodded. "So are you."

I rubbed my tattoo. "No I'm not. Trust me, my bro…" Could I even call Shigeo my brother anymore? A sickness churned inside me. "My… someone I know…"

"The quiet kid in the blue shirt?" Sho asked. "The one who you were travelling with before Takeuchi knocked you out?"

"Who?" I asked. That made me remember Shigeo. Oh, Gods. _Shigeo_. "Is Shigeo okay? He better not be hurt!"

"Oh, he's fine," Sho said. "Just a little bit angry." He smirked. "He's a very powerful esper. I guess us espers attract each other, huh?"

"I'm not an esper," I snapped. I clenched my fists. "Look, I came here to find out what the deal with my tattoo is." I removed my hand from my tattoo.

Sho raised his brow. "So that explains it."

"Huh?" I asked.

"CLAW must have found you, somehow," Sho said. "They did something to your memory."

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Not just your memory," Sho said. He took another step towards me. "Your psychic powers, too."

"I don't have psychic powers." I said, glaring into his eyes. It was almost like staring into a mirror. Or a male version of myself.

"That's what you think," Sho said. "Come with me, sister. I'll show you something."

"Why should I trust you?" I asked.

"Do you want to know the truth about your backstory?" Sho asked. "Where you got that from?" He pointed at my tattoo.

"Fine," I sighed. "But I'm watching you."

"I won't let anyone hurt you," Sho said, probably trying to be reassuring. "You are my lil sis, after all."

"Fantastic," I grunted. I turned back to Ritsu, who didn't look so good. His face was covered in little scratches, and a bruise was over his eye. "What about Ritsu?"

"Don't worry about him," Sho said. "You don't _really_ care about him, do you?"

I stared at my adoptive older brother. I remembered the time he beat up some idiots with his powers (which wasn't that long ago), with little ease. They had no chance against him. I then realised he'd let me _punch _him, when he could've easily killed me. Why? Was it him showing his love? Or was he just toying with me? After all… he hated me. He was jealous of me. He didn't support my band. He either pretended I didn't exist, or was mean to me.

But… looking at him now… I realised I didn't hate him. I didn't want him dead. Despite everything, he was still Ritsu Kageyama, my older brother. Maybe, deep down, he didn't hate me either.

"Is he going to get hurt?" I finally asked.

"No," Sho said. "He'll be fine. Trust me."

"I don't," I grumbled. "But there isn't much I can do, is there?"

"Unless you want to lug his body around, not really," Sho said. "Don't worry. Come on."

I sighed, and followed Sho through more endless white halls. This place really didn't have interesting architecture. I stayed by his side, my hands in tight fists.

"So," I said. "You're my twin brother."

Sho nodded. "Yep."

"Our… father is the leader of CLAW," I said.

"Yes," Sho replied. He frowned. "Nothing to celebrate there. I don't agree with his plans at all. He's a fool."

"Then… why are you here?" I asked.

"I'm recruiting espers for my army," he said. "Planning a resistance against my father."

"He really is that bad," I commented. I bit my lip. "Um... so, how did… how did we get separated?"

Sho had a dark look on his face. "Look… just, when you see the memories, you'll understand."

"The memories?" I asked.

"Here," Sho replied, pointing to a silver door. He opened it, revealing a dark room. There were a bunch of glowing flat-screens on the wall that were the only sources of light. A chair was in the middle, a giant gun-like machine directly above it. The machine had two claws that were sitting above the top of the chair, like the hands of an evil deity.

"What the Hell is that?" I asked, staring at the machine. "Don't tell me I have to sit there."

"Oh, no, not there," Sho laughed. He pointed left. "That's where you'll be sitting."

He pointed to another chair surrounded by a bunch of huge needles. I almost fell over.

"I take it back the other chair is fine," I blurted out.

Sho continued laughing. "Knew you'd say that! I was just messing with you."

"You suck," I growled.

"Hey, I knew it'd get to you," Sho said. "I have trypanophobia too."

"Seriously?" I asked, tensing up.

"Seriously," Sho nodded. He frowned. "You will actually need to sit at that machine, though."

"Why?" I asked.

"You want your powers back, right?" Sho asked.

I sighed. "Fine."

"Just sit at the first one for now," Sho said. "I'll do some digging."

I obeyed and sat under the huge machine. Not going to lie, it did make the back of my neck prickle. I really wanted to bust out of there, grab Shigeo and Ritsu, and never look back. I still didn't trust this Sho guy. But my curiosity wasn't going to let this go.

"It's safe," Sho said, pressing a button on the machine. I heard gears grinding. The claws lowered, until they surrounded the sides of my head. "I'll be right back. Just stay calm."

"Sure." I grunted sarcastically. Sho ran off, and soon, I heard things moving around a little while away. Someone was opening and closing drawers. I tapped my fingers against the leather armrest, and swung my legs back and forth, like a little kid would. Sweat began to pool on my forehead.

Maybe I was going to die. Gods, what was I doing? I didn't _want_ to trust this, but Sho had seemed so genuine.

"Arashi Suzuki," Sho said, his voice echoing. "Found it."

"It's Arashi Kageyama," I replied.

"You really love those Kageyama brothers, huh?" Sho asked, holding up something that looked like a VHS tape.

"They're my brothers." I pointed out.

"And so am I," Sho replied. "Hold tight. You're about to believe me."

That sounded pretty stupid, but I forgot all about it when the machine started whirring again. It got pretty loud, and flashes of white danced around the room.

"What the Hell?" I yelled. "Sho, what's-"

Then everything went white.

* * *

…

...

"_Arashi…" _

"_Arashi!"_

_The young girl's eyes fluttered open. Her older twin brother, Sho Suzuki, was sitting in front of her._

"_Do it again!" he chirped._

"_But won't Papa get mad?" she asked. _

"_Papa won't notice," Sho said. "Come on, do it again!"_

_Arashi nodded. She held out her palms, forming a small burst of flame. It grew bigger, until it could rival a bonfire. Arashi and Sho stared at the burning cascade of orange, red and yellow in awe. It was amazing! Unfortunately, it also set off the smoke alarms._

"_Arashi," a man's voice growled. Her father walked in, glaring at his children. "For the last time, stop wasting those powers. Save them for the war."_

"_But I don't wanna fight in the war," Arashi protested. _

"_You don't have a choice," the man growled. He stormed out of the room. Sho was glaring at his back. Arashi joined him. _

"_He's stupid," she said. "I don't wanna do anything with him."_

_Sho put his arm around his sister's back. "Don't worry, sis. I won't let Dad do anything to us."_

…

"_Happy Birthday, Arashi!" Arashi's mother chirped, hugging her daughter. "You're already getting so big!"_

"_Thanks, Mama," Arashi said, kissing her mother on the cheek. _

"_What would you like as a gift?" the woman asked. _

"_Let's go to the mall," Arashi said. So mother and daughter (and Sho as well) headed over to the local mall. They spent a long time there, searching for the right gift. Arashi didn't want anything like Barbie dolls or dresses, or even toy cars. Arashi's mother was beginning to get frustrated. _

"_Arashi, we've been here for two hours," she scolded. "Please hurry up and choose." _

"_But we've been to every shop and I just can't pick!" Arashi sobbed. _

"_We haven't been to that one," Sho said, pointing to a music store. So the three went to said store. It was full to the brim with many different types of instruments - trumpets, pianos, flutes, and of course, guitars. Arashi was drawn to one thing only: a small, brown ukulele, hanging on a lone shelf. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted it. It was like a calling. _

"_This one," she said. _

"_You sure?" Sho asked her. "Looks kind of lame. You could get a sick electric guitar!"_

"_This one!" Arashi insisted. _

"_Is this the one you want…?" Arashi's mother asked, coming over. She glanced over the ukulele. She smiled. "Of course I'll buy it for you, Arashi."_

…

"_Dad, please!" Arashi cried, her father stepping above her. "I don't wanna!"_

"_You must," her father demanded. "Unleash it!"_

_Arashi screamed. Flames erupted from her hands, flowing all around her. They burned the dummies in front of her to smelting piles of ash. _

"_Good," the man said. "Very good. That power must've been built up for a while, hmm?"_

"_I hate you," Arashi told the man. He simply laughed. _

"_You'll understand one day, Arashi," he said, "that the apple does not fall far from the tree." _

_Arashi clenched her fists. She yelled at her father, but he paid her no mind. Sho watched from the distance, glaring at his father. _

_He had a plan. That night, they would run away. _

…

_Sho shook Arashi's arm, awaking her from her slumber. _

"_Sho?" she asked, staring at her twin brother. _

"_We're leaving," he told her, hoisting a backpack over his shoulder. "Come on."_

"_Running away?" Arashi asked._

"_Dad's just going to keep torturing us with this war stuff," Sho replied. "I won't let him hurt me, or you."_

_Arashi nodded. She climbed out of bed, and grabbed her ukulele, which she named Kumo. She'd thoroughly enjoyed playing on it, and took it everywhere with her. After her mother had left, it was the only thing that reminded Arashi of her. The two snuck out into the hall, and opened one of the windows. They climbed out of it. Without looking back, they took off into the dark night, free at last. _

…

_Sho and Arashi had been on the run for a few days, now. They'd been living off the food and money Sho had brought. Arashi wasn't sure where they were running to, but any place was better than being with her father. _

_Right now, they were sitting in a bush. It was a cool night, so they were sharing a huge jacket Sho had packed. Arashi had started a little fire with her psychic powers. _

"_So nice," Arashi said, smiling._

"_Yeah," Sho said, smiling at her. _

"_Are you sure Dad won't find us?" Arashi asked._

"_No," Sho said. "I figured out how to make us undiscoverable to other espers. He'll never find us."_

"_Undiscoverable, huh?" a voice asked. It belonged to a man wearing the uniform of CLAW. A group of lackeys were following him._

"_No way," Sho said, "how did you-"_

"_You shouldn't have doubted the boss' power," the man laughed. He held out his hands. "Now you kids are coming with us."_

_Arashi felt a burning rage. She was not going back to her father, no matter what. And she wouldn't let them hurt her brother either. _

"_Leave us alone!" she screamed. Fire erupted from all around her, burning up the ground. Explosions boomed, shattering the ground. The CLAW lackeys cried out, stepping back. _

"_She's strong," the main man said, "but that shouldn't stop you!"_

_The lackeys reluctantly got up, charging at the kids. Arashi blew them back with more fire, and even exploded one guy to bits. The others weren't so keen on fighting after that. _

"_We may need the Scars here," the main man muttered. _

"_Got that covered," said another voice. A long, red whip appeared, wrapping itself around Arashi's neck. She screamed out in terror, her vision going blurry. _

"_Got her," the esper said, appearing before the lackeys. _

"_Arashi, wait-" Sho cried. "Give her back!"_

_Sho punched the esper's leg. He muttered a curse word. _

"_You take the girl," he told the lackeys. "I'll deal with this boy."_

_Sho kept yelling as Arashi was dragged away, falling into an unconscious slumber._

…

_Arashi woke up, chained to a chair, her vision hazy. Her hearing kept blinking in and out. A group of scientists stood before her. She couldn't even tell whether they were from CLAW or not._

"_A powerful one…" one of them said. "Something must be done about that…" _

"_... specific orders from the Boss," another one of them said. "... removed the powers."_

"_She'll be returned, one day," another said, her voice clearer, "but now, she will be a new person."_

"_Yes…" said the final, "she mustn't remember."_

_Arashi tried to use her powers, but she couldn't feel them anymore. There was nothing there. The only thing that happened was her shoulder ached. Said shoulder was covered in a large, white bandage. _

_A scientist appeared above her. He smiled. _

"_Don't worry," he said. "We'll see you again."_

_And then everything went white. _

…

…

* * *

My eyes fluttered open. My head was hurting, and the cool metal was still wrapped around it. Sho was standing there, watching me with concern. I stared at him for the longest time, my voice completely… gone.

"Well," I finally said. "You… really are my twin brother, huh?"

Sho nodded.

I pushed the claw off my head and stood up. I walked over to Sho, stupidly holding out my arms. Together, we shared a warm hug. It felt like it was long overdue.

"Thank you," I said. "For showing me… all that."

Sho mumbled something into my collar. It was slightly awkward, but a good kind of awkward.

"What about my psychic powers?" I asked. Then I remembered the needle machine. "Oh… right. That machine."

Sho laughed. "Yeah. That machine."

I shivered at the thought of it. But if I wanted to have my powers back…

I could finally match up to Shigeo and Ritsu. I'd pose a threat against other espers. And best of all, I'd have powers! So freaking cool. I could imagine myself with fire all around me, looking like a superhero…

But would I be able to control them?

I (reluctantly) sat on the chair beneath all the huge needles. My skin crawled just looking at them.

_Powers_, I reminded myself. _You're going to get powers!_

My brother gave me a sympathetic smile, before he turned the machine on.

"I've never done this before," he said, "but it'll probably hurt. So I'll give you an anaesthetic. Look away."

I felt a prick on my shoulder.

"This is so messed up," I said. "You been keeping my memories and power here all along?"

"Just your memories," Sho said. "They've done it before. To children they've wanted to get rid of. However, you're the only successful attempt at actually hiding powers in your own body… with the help of the tattoo."

"Still messed up," I said.

"Trust me," Sho said, a dark look on his face. "They've done much worse."

The machine grew louder. I felt something dig into my shoulder.

"CLAW's scientists did this to me," I said, looking away from my tattoo. "Why, Sho? Didn't they know I was the boss' daughter?"

"I'm… not exactly sure," Sho admitted. "I think Dad thought you were too young to join his army. Your powers were pretty dangerous, and you had no control of them. He'd let you go for a bit, then he'd recruit you when you were older."

"Like I'm going to have any control of them now," I grumbled. "I don't want to help him. He hurt my adoptive brothers."

"Dad can be very convincing," Sho said. He smiled. "But I think you'll be strong enough to resist him."

I found myself smiling as well. Then it wavered with another thought. "What about Mom?"

"She's fine, but she _hates_ Dad," Sho said. "She lives pretty far away from here. I talked to her a little while ago. She'll be really happy to see you, trust me."

"Glad to see I have one good parent," I sighed. We continued talking as my tattoo was taken away. I told Sho about where'd I'd been living, and all about Shigeo, Ritsu and my band. In return, Sho told me all about his personal army he'd been building to oppose our father. He was here to find espers to recruit for it. Well guess what, your girl was now one of those recruits. Being his sister gave me that leverage.

After a while, I felt heat race to my fingertips, and energy burning inside me. It was like a fire was building inside me. The psychic powers were coming, I assumed. Sho confirmed it.

"Good," Sho said, turning the machine off. "That should do it."

I flexed my shoulder. It stung; I muttered a curse word. Sho just laughed.

"Idiot," I rolled my eyes, and we kept laughing. Suddenly, from outside the door, I heard a lot of noise. Someone was yelling, and tons of people were screaming. Things were crashing as well, it seemed.

"What the Hell is going on out there?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," Sho said. He tensed up. "It might be Shigeo."

"Oh God," I said, breathless. I could only imagine how angry he would be. Did he know what happened between Ritsu and I?

Or how badly I'd failed to protect him?

The wall rumbled. I let out a yelp, and heard Sho mutter some curse words. The door slammed open, and golly, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Standing there was Reigen Arataka.


	12. Master, Leader

Of all the darn people that could've shown up.

"Ah, there you are," Reigen said. "Mob's little sister. We were looking for you."

"Arashi!" I heard a familiar voice. Mob ran towards me, holding out his arms. We hugged tightly, the relief flowing through me. He wasn't hurt.

"Hey, Shigeo," I said. "You okay?"

Mob nodded. I saw Ritsu and Teru in the background, as well as a lot of Claw's soldiers. Ritsu was staring at his shoes. I couldn't blame him, exactly.

"What's going on?" I asked instead. "Why's Reigen here? What's with the soldiers?"

"They all think Reigen's their master," Teru told me in a low voice. "We're trying to keep them fooled, otherwise they'll kill us."

"Right," I replied, frowning. "Well, anyway, I have a _lot_ to tell you guys. You see, this guy here…" I turned to my right, but Sho was gone. I frowned. "... Where'd he go?"

"Who?" Reigen asked.

"Sho," I said, breathless. And a little pissed off. "He… he was right there."

"I believe you, Arashi," Mob said kindly.

I sighed. "Come on. I have a lot to say."

…

The boys, Reigen, Claw's soldiers, and me, of course, walked around Claw's HQ for a bit. I told the boys everything Sho had told me.

"So you're an esper too?" Teru asked.

I nodded. "It explains my history with Claw."

"That's great, Arashi," Mob said, smiling. "It means you're like Ritsu and me!"

"Yeah," I tried to agree. Ritsu still wasn't looking at me. I swore a sad look on his face.

"All three of you are espers," Reigen said. "Great!" He turned to me. "Interested in a job?"

"No," I snapped. "And you still haven't paid me back from the school thing!"

Reigen ignored me. "The exit is just up here."

Naturally, some guys stood in our way. There was some muscular guy, a guy in a suit, another guy, someone in a hooded cloak, and… someone in a weird purple suit completely covering their body.

"Who are you?" the one in purple asked Reigen. They seemed to have a woman's voice, but I still wasn't sure. "You aren't our boss."

"Who are you?" Reigen asked back, smugly. "Introduce your criminal organisation."

_Says you,_ I thought.

"I'm Ishiguro, the psychic group Claw's 7th division leader," said the purple lady/dude. "Who might you be?"

Reigen pointed to himself. "I'm Reigen Arataka, the greatest psychic of the 21st century! Feel free to Google me!"

Now that I was an esper, I realised I couldn't sense any psychic energy coming from him, compared to the others. I clenched my fists. He really was a big fat liar. When we got out of here, we were having a chat.

"What?!" the soldiers shouted. "He's not our boss?"

"Fraud or not, you had the nerve to disregard me and call yourself our leader," Ishiguro said. "That's a serious offence!" She… or he… started going loopy, and I mean that literally. They held out their hand. The boys gasped. They summoned a shield, protecting Reigen from Ishiguro's power.

"Stand back, master," Shigeo said. "You're a spirit specialist."

"Yeah," I said. "In fact, we-"

"You too, Arashi," Mob replied. "You probably don't know how to use your powers yet."

"Whoa, hey," I argued. "I'm an esper now. I'm not going to stand around and do nothing."

"Arashi, please," Mob pleaded. I looked hopefully at the other two boys, but they seemed to be on Mob's side. I sighed.

"Whatever," I said, standing back.

"You've gathered some efficient pawns," Ishiguro said. "If you gather enough, you might be able to oppose Claw."

The soldiers began protesting. Ishiguro simply ignored them.

"All of you, hide in some rooms," Reigen told the soldiers in a tone that would've moved me if I didn't hate his guts. "If you want to make it big, you can't do it here!"

Reigen continued his motivational speech, bringing the soldiers to tears. Sure, it was inspirational, but the thought of Reigen bringing people to tears of happiness made me want to burst out laughing.

We watched the soldiers run away.

"Actually, I'll be leaving too," Reigen said. He was interrupted by a bunch of stone in his path.

"You're not getting away," Ishiguro growled.

"I'm no match for that power," Ritsu muttered, holding up his fists. I got in my own fighting stance.

"Actually, they're pretty difficult for me too," Teru said, scowling. "Which means…" He turned to Mob. "Kageyama! It's up to you!"

Mob nodded. He stepped forward.

"Go Mob!" I shouted.

"Yes, he's strong," Ishiguro said, as if Mob was some kind of science experiment. "I'll take care of him. I'm sure he's never met anyone stronger than him yet." They began to glow with red energy. Now that I was an esper, it was suddenly a _lot_ more vivid. The power was strong, almost making me trip over myself. "Sadly, you won't get anywhere close to me. And you'll be squished."

"Nii-san!" Ritsu shouted.

"Shigeo!" I yelled, even louder. I ran towards the power, only to get pulled back by Ritsu and Teru.

"Mob, what are you doing?" Reigen asked. He seemed oddly calm.

"Master," Shigeo said, quietly.

"You're not bad, being able to resist my powers," Ishiguro said. "Why don't we increase the gravity a bit?"

"Anti-esper dropkick!" Reigen shouted, appearing from behind Ishiguro. His foot slammed into their head. They flopped onto the ground.

"Master…" Shigeo said.

"Mob…" Reigen said. He turned to Mob. "Are you planning on fighting these guys with your psychic powers? Didn't I tell you it's dangerous to use them around others? Are you going to break the rule?"

Shigeo gasped.

"Whoa, hey," I shoved past Teru and Ritsu. "Have you seen what these guys have done to us? They almost killed us!"

"Exactly!" Ritsu agreed. Yep. _Agreed_. "In order to save me, he had no choice!"

"Mob…" Reigen said, his tone almost kind. He had a dark look on his face. "You felt that cornered?" He looked away. "That must be rough." He turned to the other four guys there. Something was familiar about the one in the hoodie - I'd seen them before, somewhere. A glimpse of pale skin.

"Confronting others is not easy for him," Reigen told the espers. "Especially for adults like you. Watching you guys bully a kid who's so awkward and gets easily discouraged definitely doesn't make me feel good." His glare became hard. I swear the hooded guy/girl flinched. "Stop stressing out my student!"

"I can't believe he's lecturing them," I muttered to Teruki.

"Then, are you going to fight instead?" this big guy asked. His eyes were hollow black slits, and his suit was purple with a pink overlay. Two golden shoulder blades stuck out like thorns.

"Guys, let me tell you something," Reigen said, flipping his hair. "You're not supposed to harm others."

"But dropkicks are okay?" Teruki muttered to me.

"I know, right?" I muttered back. "That guy is a hypocrite."

"But if you're not going to listen, I'll fight you," Reigen continued. "Due to my position as their temporary guardian. I'm not going to let them fight."

"Excuse me," I stepped forward. "I'll have you know I'm a black belt in-"

"Forget it," Teruki said, shaking his head and pulling me back.

"I'll fight you, as peacefully as possible," Reigen said. "Let's see what you got." He dug his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a five yen coin on a string. "I'll show you my hypnosis! Look at this five yen coin."

The espers didn't look impressed. I couldn't blame them. The boys actually looked mildly interested, but I wasn't falling for his schemes.

Reigen approached the big guy. "While you're watching this…" He punched the dude across the face. "Hypnosis Punch!"

"He just hit him!" Ritsu exclaimed. "Those weren't special powers at all!"

"Of course they're not!" I yelled back. "That guy's a fraud!"

Suddenly, the guy in the suit stepped forward. He swung his katana at Reigen. The boys saved his life by throwing Reigen across the ground.

"Whoa," Reigen said, looking up. "That katana is really sharp."

"It used to be a plastic toy," the katana guy replied, his eyes dark, "but after years of cursing and practice, it actually became useful."

"Uh, hold on, listen…" Reigen said.

"Come on out, my little ones," this guy with black, spiky hair said. He was wearing an ugly green suit and looked like a psychopath. "Do you think you can handle my little evil spirits that I've nurtured?"

Reigen frowned. "No, really, listen-"

The hooded one was surrounded with dark energy. The floor beneath them cracked. Black, tentacle-like things crawled out of the cracks. Their eyes glowed grey. Just looking at them sent chills down my spine. The big guy in purple made multiple copies of himself.

"Come on, you're dealing with _children_," Reigen said.

"Maybe I'll get a little angry," Ishiguro said, black orbs appearing around them. "Let the varying gravity rip you apart!"

Reigen didn't look so smug anymore.

"Mob!" he yelled. "We're getting out of here!"

"Die!" Ishiguro screamed.

The black orbs began drawing energy in, like a black hole. Reigen yelled, being pulled towards it.

"Master!" Shigeo cried. He reached out his hand, but was interrupted by a black tentacle wrapping around his arm. His arm began turning ghostly white. His voice came out in a series of broken croaks. He looked… almost _dead_.

"Nii-san!" Ritsu cried. I glared at the one in the hoodie. I clenched my fists, feeling fire racing through my veins. Every single curse word, every single punch, every single kick: the fire and rage came at me then, an uncontrolled bonfire.

I wanted to _destroy_ them.

"_You!_" I screamed. I leaped towards the hoodie one, fire racing out in every direction. Our powers clashed, and the floor split in half like butter. The hooded one raised their hand, grey eyes flashing, and a tentacle wrapped around my body like a boa constrictor. I screamed, my lungs begging for air, and my limbs feeling like cement. My vision went hazy.

"Arashi," I heard a familiar voice. "Let her go!"

_Ritsu!_ He cut through the tentacle with a quick slash. I felt an explosion shake my whole body, and my arms turned to jelly. Ritsu caught me.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Little sister."

Another explosion interrupted me before I could apologise back.

...

Claw was basically destroyed. I knew that when I opened my eyes, and everything was a mess of destruction. The roof had been torn off, and I could count the stars. The floor was littered with metal. I saw the espers fighting each other, including my twin brother.

Shigeo… Ritsu… Sho… my brothers…

"Guys!" I shouted. The hooded one appeared near me, and suddenly, I was pissed off again. I stood up, and held out my arms. "Fire!"

But nothing happened.

"Fire!" I yelled again. Not even a trail of smoke. I glared at my hands. "What's wrong with this thing?!"

"Ya!" the katana guy appeared behind me.

"Arashi!" Teruki yelled. I whipped around, holding up my arms in a defensive position.

"Looks like we're going old school," I said. I fought the katana guy hand to hand. Now that I had powers, he couldn't hurt me as easily. I spun around, and got him in the knees. Unfortunately, he blasted me back with his katana. I rolled across the ground, bruising my bandaged arm. Teru was fighting the hooded person. I decided to help out by punching them in the back of the head. That seemed to make them angry, and they turned their tentacles on me.

"Ritsu, now!" Teru yelled. Out of nowhere, a wall fell on top of the hoodie person.

"Nice one!" I cheered.

Suddenly, the hooded person blasted the pillars off.

"Damn," I cursed.

The hoodie person flung me into another wall. Blood dripped out of my nose. It was hard to sit up. I saw Mob staring at me, his face pale.

"Shigeo!" I yelled. "Use your power!"

"No, Mob!" Reigen yelled. "Don't do it!"

"Fight power with power!" Teruki yelled. "We're going to die at this rate!"

"We need to run away!" Reigen cried.

"We can't!" I said. The hooded person appeared before me, grey eyes flashing. "Shigeo!"

"All five of you are going to Hell!" Ishiguro screamed.

Mob looked like he was going to go 100%, but Reigen grabbed his cheeks, stopping him.

"Don't do it, Mob," Reigen said. "You're the one who's going to suffer in the end. When things go south, it's okay to run away!"

Mob stared at Reigen with admiration, and for a moment, I could almost see why Shigeo admired him so much. Then the katana guy appeared, and sliced Reigen across the back.

Blood splattered, and Reigen fell to the floor.

"Master…" Shigeo whispered.

**100%**


	13. Season 1 finale

Note to self: when you've got an extremely powerful esper brother and stress makes him go all out, give him a hug.

Seriously. Give him a hug.

"Shigeo!" I cried. His face had gone dark, and he looked like he was about to blow up the whole country. So I ran forward, and wrapped my arms around his waist. He went completely tense.

"Arashi!" Teruki shouted. "Get away from him! He's going to blow!"

I ignored him, of course. Mob turned around, and hugged me back. It was one of the best hugs I've ever had.

"I always admired your bravery, Arashi," he told me, his voice just above a whisper, "even if you've hurt people, you've always been so brave."

"You're brave, too," I replied. "Not everyone could just waltz on over to CLAW to save their friends."

"My master told me it's okay to run away," Shigeo continued. "That it's okay to not fight." He smiled. "And knowing when to stop fighting is bravery, too."

"I'm bad at knowing when to _stop _fighting, Shigeo," I admitted.

"It's okay, little sister," he said, squeezing my shoulder. "Let's leave this to my master."

Suddenly, Reigen stood up, determination on his face. I almost choked on my own saliva.

"I-Impossible!" the katana guy yelled.

"Don't scare me like that!" Reigen chided. "I thought you cut me for a sec! I guess that katana is a fake after all. It totally felt plastic." He smirked. "What trick did you use to cut the floor earlier?"

Katana guy growled. "Then I'll cut off your head next!"

The katana guy moved his katana towards Reigen's neck. Nothing happened.

_What the Hell...? _I thought.

"Real adults don't have time to play with toy swords!" Reigen said, snapping the katana in half. The now former-katana guy had gone completely pale.

"Sakurai, move!" the crazy monster guy, aka Matsuo, yelled. "Candy-chan, go!"

That terrifying monster thing from before showed up. Reigen began sweating profusely.

"Mob, do something!" he yelled.

Candy-chan balled its fist. It launched it towards Reigen. The giant fist landed on his face, but Reigen hadn't been harmed.

"That was surprisingly light," Reigen said. "Was that a plush?"

Matsuo looked like he'd lost the will to live.

Reigen yelled, "What are you, some toy?" And punched Candy-chan, destroying it with one hit. Matsuo backed off.

"Don't get cocky," said the guy wearing purple, aka Muraki. He made a ton of duplicates of himself, which Reigen destroyed with ease.

_Is he an esper after all?_ I thought. But he wasn't before. Where did this power come from?

"You try, Tanaka," Ishiguro said. The hooded weirdo snapped their fingers; tentacles rose from the ground. Reigen pulled them out of the ground and threw them aside, as if they were nothing but mere weeds.

"Tanaka…" I repeated, slowly. Tanaka glanced at me, then disappeared in a whirl of shadows. I rolled my eyes. What a coward.

"How can this be?" Ishiguro asked. "Are you telling me someone this skilled still exists in the world? He must be eliminated. We can't have someone this skilled stopping our world domination."

"Huh?" Reigen asked. "You were using some kind of magic trick, too, huh? You bunch of frauds. Try that thing with the black orbs again."

Ishiguro tensed, black orbs appearing around them. I raised my brow to my hairline.

"Leave this to the adult here," Reigen said, stepping forward with confidence. Mob was staring at him with admiration. Wonder. Gratitude.

Gratitude. Wait a second.

Then I figured out: Mob had temporarily transferred his energy to Reigen!

Reigen slapped away the black orbs as if they were dodgeballs. "Are these soap bubbles?"

Ishiguro was beginning to descend into a fetal position.

"Looks like I'll have to put my body on the line, too!" they shouted. "Five Hundred Kilogram Tackle!"

Ishiguro rammed into Reigen, sending the two of them flying through the sky. They raced around up there, causing a show that looked like missiles combined with fireworks. They soon crashed back down into the ground, exploding on impact.

Ritsu had joined Mob and I to watch the fight. It felt… oddly nice to have the Kageyama trio back together.

Ishiguro had Reigen pinned on the ground. They began taunting him. "You're not a good esper. A good esper has motivation to take control!"

Then Reigen stood up. "You know, it's rude to talk to someone with a mask on." He ripped Ishiguro's mask off and threw its owner down the hall. They acted like a ballistic missile, crashing through walls. Reigen frowned, staring at the mask in his hands.

"What's with this strength?" Reigen asked himself, flexing his fingers. He gazed at Mob. "It has to be-"

He was interrupted by Sakurai slicing him with his katana. Reigen stared at him with mild interest.

"Seriously, someone your age needs to stop messing around," he said.

Sakurai grabbed the front of Reigen's shirt and began yelling in his face. "Don't try and lecture me when you've only seen the good side of society!" His glare grew harder. "As soon as I was born, my parents abandoned me. I was all alone. A happy family? Mother's cooking? I got none of it. I was bullied terribly at an orphanage. Until I discovered my powers! I used them to survive! Anyone who rejects my way of living can-" He stepped back at Reigen's unimpressed look. "What's with that look?"

"I totally understand how you feel," Reigen said. He bowed his head. "When I was in grade school, maybe it was fourth grade… I forgot to tell my parents it was sports day at school that day, so I had nothing to eat."

I face-palmed. That felt like something he'd do.

"That's actually your fault…" Sakurai said, frowning. "What are you even talking about?"

"A story about when I felt lonely when I was young," Reigen said.

"Don't compare your stupid story to mine!" Sakurai yelled, whipping out a gun. "Die!"

Sakurai fired the gun, but Reigen simply brushed the bullet away as if it was a fly.

Sakurai began sweating. "If all else fails, I'll simply put you to sleep with this cursed cologne!"

He sprayed it at Reigen, and as expected, nothing happened.

"I don't get it," Reigen said. He swiped the cologne out of the flabbergasted Sakurai's hands. "But don't spray that at people."

Muraki held up a glowing fist, aimed at Reigen's face.

Reigen sighed. "You use the psychic powers you've been blessed with for the stupidest things."

"What?" Muraki asked, lowering his arm.

"You're like a little kid with a knife," Reigen said. "I can't bear to watch."

"Who do you think you are?" Muraki demanded.

"What's that thing on your forehead?" Reigen asked.

Muraki began sweating. There was, indeed, a dot on his forehead that looked like mini black hole.

"What about those shoulder-pads?" Reigen asked.

"Those are to guard my shoulders…" Muraki answered, still sweating.

"Which means they're just accessories and have no purpose, right?" Reigen asked.

Muraki had gone totally pale at this point.

"No matter what powers you guys have, you're still human," Reigen said, holding out his hand. He looked so casual, so calm for someone around dangerous espers. "Nothing more, nothing less. You just haven't learned that! You're so addicted to your powers, you've adapted to tunnel vision. You're planning world domination when you haven't even seen the world? Don't make me laugh! No one's going to take you seriously."

"You're telling us to return to being commoners?" Muraki asked.

"You still don't get it!" Reigen snapped. "You're nothing _more_ than a commoner! You're just part of the masses!"

Muraki was sweating again. "But Claw is a noble-"

"I'm a commoner!" Reigen cried. "And I'm much more powerful than you! So what does that make you?"

Muraki fell to his knees. Sakurai looked bewildered.

"Your master's amazing!" Teruki told Mob.

"Yeah," Mob agreed, smiling. I was just stunned. Reigen was a fraud, a liar… and he was able to take down an entire squad of powerful espers with just words. Honestly, I hated to admit it, but I was genuinely a bit impressed.

"No!" a new voice shouted. "He's wrong!"

This old geezer was standing on a cliff. His face was covered in scars, and half of his teeth were missing.

I soon realised it was Ishiguro. My skin crawled.

"I thought he was a girl," I muttered.

"I reject your claims!" Ishiguro yelled. "Us espers, we are special! We are superior lifeforms to the rest of humanity!"

"I'm sure you had to believe that to go on," Reigen retorted, "but sadly, society has no interest in you."

"Society this, society that," Ishiguro growled. "No group according to your stupid yardstick is big enough for me!"

"Quit using those around you, old man," Reigen said. "You're making me sad."

"I was born with these powers, so what's wrong with showing them off?" Ishiguro demanded. "You stupid ape! You're just like all the moneys. I'm amazing - I should be put on a pedestal and have the world worship me! That is the only world that is worthy!"

Good gods, I'd never heard someone so arrogant. And that included Onigawara.

"No, having psychic powers doesn't make you popular at all," Mob said.

"And that's all there is to it," Reigen agreed. He turned back to Ishiguro. "You'll never be popular. Give it up."

"I'm going to erase you all!" Ishiguro screamed, surrounded by dark magic. "Erase you all and start again!"

I stood my ground, my hair blowing around my face.

"Mob, lend me your powers again!" Reigen shouted.

Mob stepped forward. "Actually, I'm also-"

He was interrupted by screaming. The power around Ishiguro was drawing us in, like a black hole.

"Disappear!" he screamed. "Disappear!"

Then someone punched him in the face.

"You just don't know when to give up," a voice said. A figure stepped into the light.

"Sho!" I shouted. He winked at me, before turning to the furious Ishiguro.

"That's…" Ritsu began. "That's him."

"That's him," I agreed.

"Damn you!" Ishiguro screeched like a bat, summoning those dark orbs. "You can also disappear!"

"A mass of gravity, huh?" Sho asked. "Interesting." He put his hand in one of the orbs, then turned to us. "It's not an actual black hole, if it's made from psychic powers. I can deal with it."

Sho smashed Ishiguro into the ground with a quick move. "Old man… you're no longer needed."

Ishiguro looked pretty done after that. Sho stepped away from him, brushing hair out of his eyes.

Sho turned to Mob. "And as for you…" He frowned. "I'm disappointed in you. You coward."

I found my voice. "Excuse me? You're calling _him_ a coward when you left me before? You know, you're a massive hypo-"

"Not now, Arashi," Sho interrupted me. He turned back to the others. "The Seventh Division will be dissolved. I was to inspect-"

"What do you mean, _not now_?" I snapped. "I only found out we're related like an hour ago, I still have lots of questions, and you-"

"Shut up!" Sho yelled. "Just be patient, sis! For the love of…" he sighed, pulling his hair. "I was to inspect this place and find anyone to take back to HQ. Sadly, though, there wasn't anyone worth my time. Well, except for one. I found my twin sister, the one I've been looking for for a long time."

I bit my lip, tasting blood.

"So you two," Teruki stood between us, "are twins."

"Yep," Sho nodded. He held his hand towards me. "I was going to ask you this before, but I didn't get the chance." He paused. "I'll give you a proposition, sis. I want you to come with me. I can teach you how to use your powers. If you get powerful enough, you can join my army."

"_Join_ you?" I asked. I stared at my hands. "Do you… do you live with anyone?"

"I have a base," he said. "And… if you come with me, I can take you to see Mom. She'll be really happy to see you again."

My heart skipped a beat. My _real _mother. The one who'd bought my ukulele.

"But what… what about Ritsu and Shigeo?" I asked.

Sho shrugged. "Well, you won't be _forbidden _from seeing them, but you probably won't be able to be around them much anymore. You'll be too busy, what, with training and such."

I furrowed my brow. I turned around. Ritsu was giving me a weak thumbs up.

"You can go with him, Arashi," Mob said, giving me a supportive smile. "He's your brother."

_But so are you_, the words failed to come to my lips.

"I-" I was going to answer, but I was interrupted by Matsuo's screaming.

"Yes, Marshmallow-chan!" he shouted. "My most powerful spirit!"

The jar in his hands burst open, making dust swirl. This… thing that looked like a giant booger with arms appeared, booping Matsuo on the head and knocking him out.

Reigen took the words right out of my mouth. "The hell is that?"

"Dimple!" Mob cried.

"_That's_ Dimple?" I asked.

"I was finally able to get out," Dimple said. He burped. Because apparently evil spirits can do that. "All right! Now that I've regained some of my strength, I can help out a hundred-fold!"

Sho grabbed my arm, whispering, "Forget them, Arashi. Ritsu's motivated, but he's too... _moral_. And don't get me started on his brother. They won't be able to help you control your powers."

I turned to him. No one insulted my brothers. "I don't care about controlling my powers, Sho. I care about my brothers."

"You're not being efficient," Sho replied, eye twitching.

"I don't care," I growled. I stared at Dimple, who looked disappointed about missing the climax of the battle. "Because… _they're _what's most important."

"I saw how you felt about Ritsu," Sho said. "You hate him."

"Maybe I was wrong to hate him," I said. "Maybe I want to fix my relationship with him." I smiled. "And besides... I've got a concert to prepare for."

Sho sighed and shook his head. "Fine. Stay with them. But don't say I didn't warn you."

He disappeared. I couldn't ignore the pang in my chest, but seeing Mob happy made it a little easier to deal with.

* * *

For the first time since the other day, the three of us walked to school together. We had a nice chat about regular stuff, and Ritsu and I didn't even have a single argument.

"Hey," I pulled Ritsu back before he entered the school. We stood together, at the front gates.

"Uh, hey," he said back.

I coughed. "I just wanted to say…"

Ritsu fiddled with his sleeve. "I wanted you to know that I'm…"

"Sorry." We both said, at the same time.

"I'm sorry for punching you," I sighed. "I've been a bad sister. I know you're not a bad guy. I wish we could've hit it off earlier… maybe if I'd tried a little harder."

"_I'm_ the one who was being rude," Ritsu admitted. "I was going to hit you with my psychic powers." He shook his head. "I'm going to be a better brother from now on, I promise. When's your band's next performance?"

"Tonight, actually," I replied.

Ritsu smiled. "Noted."

He turned away, but I called out, "Wait!"

He looked back.

"After school," I said. "Do you… do you wanna come and get ramen with Mob and I, before the show?"

Ritsu smiled. "I'd love to."

* * *

Onigawara slapped me on the back. "Guess who's back?"

"An idiot," I replied.

Onigawara gritted his teeth. "Shut up."

"Good to have you back," I told him, patting him on the back. "You coming to the performance tonight?"

"No way," he said. "I don't wanna watch your crappy band."

"Then why were you loading one of our posters into your bag?"

Onigawara went flustered. "Shut up!"

I laughed, and we continued our banter all the way to class.

…

"Hey, you know," Teruki told me, giving me his number, "you should come to the Awakening Lab. I can teach you how to use your powers."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," Teruki said. "I'm teaching the rest of the gang there. I bet it would help you out."

I glanced at the number in my palm. "I'll note it."

…

I caught up with Paranormal Investigation for one final rehearsal. They were all nervous, of course.

"This is going to rock, guys," Josh said. "Trust me. Just do your best!"

"Yeah!" Miko cheered, albeit quietly.

"You always say that, Josh," I sighed. I turned to Daizō. "You ready, buddy?"

Daizō nodded. He held up his drum sticks, and the music began.

* * *

No more rehearsals. This was it, the real show. We were all wearing our band shirts, waiting nervously backstage. Miko was twitching, Josh was pacing, Daizō was… not really doing anything, and I was plucking each individual string on my guitar.

"And now…" the voice outside called, "for Paranormal Investigation!"

The audience cheered, and we stepped into the stage. My eyes scanned the crowd: I saw Mob, Mom, Dad… and for the first time, Ritsu. Ritsu flashed me a smile, which I returned. I also saw Teruki, and some of the kids from the Awakening Lab. Onigawara was there too, pretending to hide. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Hello Salt Middle School!" Josh shouted into the mic. "Who's ready for some music?"

The audience cheered.

"Then let's get spooky!" Josh yelled. "Hit it, Daizō!"

Daizō hit the drums, and Miko played her piano. Josh brought the mic to his lips.

"_If everyone is not special maybe you can be what you want to be,_" he sung. "_Everyone will surely find their own answer!_"

I slammed down on my guitar.

"_1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10…_" Josh sung. I joined in, as well as Miko. "_11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25."_

"_Longing, distress, pump it up!" _he sung.

He continued singing, and I finally felt a sense of euphoria. This was _living_. This was what life was all about.

I smiled, watching my brothers and friends in the crowd. I was so glad they were there, able to share my joy. I was so happy I didn't even notice Sho watching from the sidelines. Thinking about it now, I swore I saw him flash me another wink.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's season 1 finished! I hope you enjoyed it. Season 2 will be coming soon, so be on the lookout. There's gonna be a lot more of Paranormal Investigation, the Kageyama brothers, and Sho as well. :D **

**You can follow me on deviantART (iHateFridays) and Tumblr (fridayhater) for some art related to this fanfic. As well as this story, I'm also writing a One Punch Man fanfic called Siblings if you're interested. I think that's all I have to say, so thank you for reading and have a good one! **


	14. Ripped apart, someone is watching

"Try again," Teruki urged.

I raised my arms until the air, gritting my teeth so hard I thought my skull would snap. Sweat poured down my forehead like a waterfall.

_Come on_, I told myself. _You can do it!_

I screamed out, feeling my fingertips burn with a fiery pain. I directed the pain towards the chunk of wood in front of me. My vision flashed a fiery orangey-red. I then fell over, my arms aching from being up in the air so long.

"Did it work?" I asked, slowly opening my eyes. My mouth fell open with horror.

The wood hadn't changed at all. Not even a chip was missing.

"What's wrong with this thing?!" I snapped, glaring at my hands. "Why won't they work?"

"Well," Teruki shrugged, "at least you attracted someone."

A weird hobo was staring at me with wide eyes. Probably because of all the screaming.

"Beat it," I growled at him. He backed away slowly, then broke into a run. I sighed, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

"Why won't they work?" I repeated, slower.

"Maybe you're not feeling the right emotions," Teruki suggested. "It happens. Powers can be pretty unpredictable. After all, Shigeo never plans when he's going to go 100%, does he?"

"True," I said, "but they worked when I was younger, and at that Claw place."

"You haven't had them for a while," Teruki said. "Just let your body get used to them."

I scowled, kicking the wood chunk. "All I've been doing is waiting."

Teruki patted my shoulder. "Come on. Let's go get some ramen."

* * *

School assemblies were the most boring crap on Earth, and part of the reason was we were all forced to go to them. I sat next to Joshua Greenwood, who blushed at me. He'd been acting kind of weird around me ever since the school concert thing. I wasn't sure what his deal was. Was he freaked out by my psychic powers?

Back to assembly. Kamuro Shinji was on stage, which didn't improve my mood.

"I, Kamuro Shinji, hereby resign from my position as student council president as of today," he said, which kind of surprised me. "I spread false rumours about fellow students, and accused them of crimes they didn't commit; that's why I'm resigning. Therefore, the election for the next student council president will be held very soon."

I raised my brow. "Well. I wasn't expecting that."

"Student council," Josh said, thoughtfully. "Do you think I should try for it?"

"If you want," I shrugged. "I won't. Way too much responsibility."

"Yeah, maybe not," Josh said, looking away.

"It's too scary," Miko commented from behind us. "All those people staring at you…" She shivered.

"Yet you're fine with playing piano in front of them," I said.

"That's different!" Miko cried. "I'm doing something I love!"

I rolled my eyes. Daizō just kept staring at Josh, his expression unreadable. God, boys were so weird.

* * *

Shigeo was acting weird again, too.

Miko and I were in the library, since Miko was picking up some book she had on hold. That's where I saw Mob, furiously reading a book about leadership.

"He looks determined," Miko commented. She sneaked me a chocolate-chip cookie she'd made, since eating in the library wasn't allowed. Yeah, Miko was quite the cook. Her cookies were to die for.

"I hope he's not planning to ask out Tsubomi," I grumbled. It seemed no matter what I told him, Mob would never get over Tsubomi. Sighing, I decided to go over and confront him.

"Hey, bro," I waved my hand in front of his face. "What's up?"

"He's training," a voice answered. Mezato walked over, a confident grin on her face.

"Training?" I asked, incredulously.

Mezato winked at me. "It's a surprise! Just you wait, your brother's going to become the second idol of the school."

"What?" I asked, furrowing my brow. I looked at my brother. "Shigeo, what the Hell did she do to you?!"

"Nothing," Mob said, "I'm just becoming-"

"Shh, don't tell her," Mezato said, covering Mob's mouth, "it's a surprise."

I glared at her, holding out my fists. "I hope you're not doing anything dodgy, or they'll have trouble finding your body!"

"Um," Miko grabbed my shoulder, sweating. "I think that's enough."

"I don't trust her," I said, giving Mezato a harder glare.

"Oh look, it's Ritsu!" Miko said, gently pulling me away. "Let's go see what he's up to!"

I gritted my teeth. "I'll be back for you, Mezato."

* * *

A week came and went, and it was time for the elections. This time, I sat next to Ritsu. We'd been working to rekindle our relationship, and had been spending more time together. He gave me a friendly smile and made space for me as I sat down.

The first two were pretty boring - they just talked about generic stuff like how they'd be good role models and all that. The third one surprised me, though - it was Kamuro!

"What's he doing up there?" I asked Ritsu. "I thought he resigned?"

"He wanted to give it another chance," Ritsu said. "If he gets elected, he'll do better next time."

I frowned. "I hope so."

I'll admit, Kamuro's speech was pretty good. It had a lot of heart in it. If he hadn't pissed me off, I might've voted for him.

And then the next contestant came on stage. I almost screamed. Scratch that, I actually screamed.

"MOB!" I yelled. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

I heard the Body Improvement Club cheering, and I saw Onigawara scowling. Ritsu had gone completely tense.

"I was planning on supporting President Kamuro, but this changes everything," he told me.

"GOD DAMMIT MOB!" I yelled, holding up my arms. "IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT THEN, SMASH IT!"

"_Kageyama Shigeo from class 2-1_," said a voice from the loudspeaker. "_Please begin_."

Mob breathed in, heavily. I leaned in with anticipation.

...

And he said absolutely nothing. I'm not even joking. He stood there in silence for five minutes, and didn't utter a word. Needless to say, I lost track of the amount of times I facepalmed.

* * *

I found Mezato staring at the results of the election. Kamuro had come first. Of course Shigeo had come last.

"He'll never be a good founder like this," Mezato muttered.

"Founder?" I asked.

Mezato jumped, then faced me. "Oh. Hi there!"

"What's your deal with my brother?" I asked. "You signed him up to that election, didn't you?"

"Look," Mezato held up her hands. "Your brother is the founder of the Psycho Helmet Cult. He needs to accept his position!"

"He doesn't need to accept anything!" I snapped. I raised my fist, but a voice interrupted me.

"Am I interrupting something?" Josh asked. He was holding something behind his back, sweating profusely.

"You got lucky," I told Mezato, who gasped and scrambled away. I turned around and stared at Josh. "What'd you scare her away for?"

Joshua began sweating. "B-bad timing, I guess?"

He was bouncing on his toes and chewing his lip.

"What's wrong with you, dude?" I asked. "It's like you've seen a ghost!"

"No, no, I just… wanted to ask you something," Josh said, laughing nervously. "Um…"

"Yeah?" I asked.

Josh pulled the hand out from behind his back. He was holding out a bouquet of flowers.

"Arashi Kageyama," he said, smiling hugely. "Will you… will you go out with me?"

* * *

...

_Joshua Greenwood was a nervous wreck. His whole life, he'd been living in sunny California. All he'd known was the sun, the surf, and the relaxed life. He had great friends, all means at his disposal._

_Then his father had got a business opportunity that moved him and his family over to Japan, a country he knew nothing about._

_The language had been mind-numbingly hard to learn, and he was just about finished with it after about two hours. His father kept insisting he practice it, over and over again. Joshua was sure his brain had been fried._

_He began attending a school called Salt Middle School. The young boy found it hard to talk to anyone since he was still weak at Japanese. So instead he decided to join the school band to follow his interest in music. He'd been in the school band in the USA as well, and he'd been at the top of his class._

_Now he could barely understand what was written underneath the notes._

_Joshua knew he needed to do something to get him on top again - something to spark his interest._

_So when the school talent show came around, he jumped at the chance. He decided he was going to sing a cover of his favourite song. At first, he was just going to use some instrumental version of it he found on MobTube and sing over it, but then he got an idea when he saw a cute girl playing on her guitar._

_The girl's name was Arashi Kageyama, and by Josh's standards, she was the best guitar player by far. The others had nothing on her. She was also pretty. Josh couldn't help but blush when he thought about her. Gods, how was he going to build up the courage to speak to her?_

_Be a man, Josh, he chided himself. You can do it!_

_"Uh, hi," Josh said, approaching Arashi. He hoped his Japanese was understandable. "Um. Your guitar-playing is grass - I mean... I mean great!"_

_"Thanks?" Arashi replied, staring oddly at him._

_"I wanted to ask!" he chirped. "Are you entering the talent show?"_

_"Nope," Arashi said._

_"Oh, uh, well," Josh rubbed the back of your head. "I wanted to ask. If. You wanted to. doittogetherbecauseIthinkyourguitarplayingandmysingingwouldworkwelltogethery'know?"_

_"What?" Arashi asked, tilting her head._

_"Do you wanna enter the talent show with me?" Josh blurted._

_"What?" Arashi repeated, her tone harsh._

_Oh crap, Josh began cursing in both Japanese and English._

_"I mean, I think your guitar and my singing would go well together," Josh explained. "We'd have a good chance of winning if we entered. Together," he added, hastily._

_Arashi furrowed her brow. "How good are you at singing, Greenie?"_

_Joshua ran a hand through his short, green hair. He wanted to grow it longer, but his parents wouldn't let him. He'd have to do something impressive to change their minds._

_Joshua sighed, and beginning singing. "Get ready, ready to set me off Mob! Get ready! Did you ever have Mob?"_

_Arashi raised her brow. She looked interested now. Josh almost smirked. When all failed, his singing voice was a fail-safe._

_"Alright, Greenie, you got me interested," Arashi said. "Let's see how we play together."_

_Safe to say, the two destroyed the competition. They played together well, as Josh predicted. They did so well Josh decided to ask her a big question._

_"You wanna start a band together?" he asked._

* * *

...

Believe it or not, I actually said yes. I'd never thought about getting a boyfriend before, since boys kind of annoyed me. And besides, I didn't want to be like other girls who just sat around and talked about boys 24/7.

But Josh was different. Without him, I never would've joined a band. I guess I owed him a bit.

We went on some cheesy dates after school, like riding a pedal boat in the shape of a swan. I swear I saw Mob with some girl on the shore, but before I could double-check they disappeared into the crowd.

"It's so nice out here, huh?" Josh asked, as we stared at the sun's reflection on the water. "Reminds me of California."

"You miss California?" I asked.

"Yeah," Josh admitted, sighing. "But I'm getting used to Japan. I'm still having trouble with Japanese, though."

We both laughed at that.

"Not everyone is bilingual, buddy," I said. "You should at least be proud of that."

Josh smiled. "Yeah. But… since we're a couple now… it'll be easier for me."

I didn't laugh at that one. I just forced myself to smile. God, I just felt so wrong. Why did I say yes? I didn't feel attracted to Josh. He was my friend, and I'd gotten caught in the moment, and he'd looked so happy…

"You okay?" Josh asked, patting my back.

"I'm sick of this boat," I said, hastily. "It's killing my legs. Let's go get some ice-cream or something."

We went and got some ice-cream. Even the creamy goodness didn't exactly make me feel any less guilty. I felt like a liar and a cheater. Normally I wouldn't let people walk all over me, so why had Josh been an exception? Stupid romance. Stupid puberty.

Josh tried to take a lick of my ice-cream, so I shoved it onto his nose. He yelled and ran around like an idiot, and I laughed myself silly. We then went for some romantic walk around the park, where Josh talked about his life in the USA. In return, I told him some embarrassing stories about Shigeo and Ritsu. We then reminisced about our band. It had been us two for a while, until Daizō came into the mix. Poor, quiet Daizō. An amazing drummer but a man of few words.

* * *

The next day at school, the band and I met up in the music room to practice a new song we were going to play at the end of year concert. It all went well, of course.

Until the end, where it all fell apart.

"Great job, guys!" Josh said. He turned to me, winking flirtatiously. I suppose some new 'boyfriend technique'. "And you especially, babe."

He then leaned down and kissed me on the lips. It felt disgusting. Not just because it was wet and gross, it was also like I was kissing my brother. I was about to shove him away, when a voice said, "I quit."

It was Daizō. His voice was quiet, like Shigeo's, but full of bitterness and hurt. I'd heard it before, obviously, but it was weird to hear it again. And especially since it was full of emotions.

"What do you mean, you quit?" Josh asked, looking at him.

"I quit the band," Daizō said. He then turned and walked away, clenching his drumsticks tightly.

"What! Wait, Daizō!" Josh yelled, chasing after him. Miko chased after him as well, leaving me all alone. Was… Daizō jealous of us? Did he have feelings for one of us? Now I felt even more stupid. I banged my head against the wall, and accidentally knocked over some speaker. I just wanted to leave.

* * *

_…_

_Josh and Arashi were quite the duo. They hadn't named their band yet, so they just called themselves the 'Dynamic Duo'. Josh was proud to call himself one of Arashi's good friends. She was somewhat of a delinquent, and mainly hung around her older brother Shigeo, mainly to protect him. Josh knew she had potential to be a much better person if she stopped hanging around other delinquents like Onigawara. God, that guy gave him chills. Not to mention, she had recently become captain of the karate team. Which meant, she'd been able to actually beat up Onigawara._

_Joshua kept the negative thoughts out of his head as he sung into his microphone, Arashi strumming her guitar. Right now, the music was quite gentle, and Josh found himself longing for something more hardcore. He wanted something like rock music._

_"What about if we got a drummer?" he asked Arashi, after they finished their practice._

_"A drummer?" Arashi asked._

_"Yeah," Josh said. "To spice things up a bit."_

_There were plenty of drummers in the band, but Josh had his eye on one particular drummer: Daizō Kobayashi, a young, quiet boy who had the skills of a wizard. The boy could play like he'd been doing it since he was born._

_"As long as I get to play with an electric guitar or something like that, hell yeah," Arashi agreed._

_"Rock and Roll!" Josh cheered. "This is gonna be great!"_

_..._

_Josh approached Daizō after school, and asked about the band._

_"Your skills are what we need, man," Josh insisted. "There's no one better than you."_

_Daizō fiddled with his drumsticks._

_"You okay?" Josh asked._

_Daizō nodded._

_"You don't talk very much, do you?" Josh asked, frowning._

_Daizō smiled, like he was about to laugh. Josh noticed he had sliver piercings in his left ear, which made him look punk. His black hair, which was oddly shaped like cat ears, helped. _

_"Well, um, do you want to join the band?" Josh asked. He frowned. "If we do, we'll need to change the name, since it won't be just two people anymore…"_

_"Arashi Kageyama is in your band," Daizō said, quietly, "and her brother is an esper, right?"_

_"Hey!" Josh cried. "You talk!"_

_Daizō stared at him, blankly._

_"Uh, yeah, Shigeo Kageyama, he's an esper," Josh said, hastily. Seems Daizō wasn't much for conversation._

_"Then name our band something related to espers," Daizō said._

_"Great idea!" Josh cheered. He paused. "Hey, did you… did you say our band?" He gasped. "Does that mean - does that mean you're in?!"_

_Daizō gave him another blank stare._

_"Alright, alright," Josh waved his hands. "Hmm… what from Arashi's told me, espers… or psychics… fight evil spirits…" He gasped. "How about the Ghostbusters?"_

_"Do you want to get sued for copyright infringement?" Daizō asked._

_Josh frowned. This guy was kind of a downer, too._

_"Well, I was going to suggest Goosebumps, but that's taken as well," Josh sighed. He shook his head. His hair had grown a bit longer now - he'd impressed his parents enough for their permission. "What about… Lockwood and Co?"_

_"That doesn't even make sense," Daizō snorted._

_"Well then, you come up with a name!" Josh said, folding his arms._

_"Paranormal Investigation," Daizō said, immediately._

_"I have a feeling that you had that name all along and you were just taunting me," Josh commented, furrowing his brow._

_Daizō just smirked._

_"I like that name," Josh said, "but we've gotta discuss it with Arashi before we implement it. I'm sure she'll like it. She loves anything related to her brother." He blushed at the thought of Arashi._

_Daizō nodded. And the boys went off to find Arashi._

* * *

I was walking home alone. Mob had been busy everyday this week, since apparently Reigen had got a bunch of new jobs. Ritsu believed he had a girlfriend, but I didn't believe it. Mob wouldn't get a girlfriend without letting me know, right?

I saw Daizō Kobayashi sitting on the bus stop by himself. He was wearing a hoodie underneath his uniform. I found myself walking over to him.

"Hey," I said. He ignored me. "I… I know you're not in the band anymore… but…"

Suddenly, I was _angry_. It wasn't fair that he could just walk on out. I clenched my fists.

"Why the Hell did you just quit, anyway?" I demanded. "Do you know what you've done to Josh? He's a mess! And so is Miko! And hell, so am I!"

Daizō didn't respond.

"I know you can talk, you bastard," I snapped. "Stop acting like you can't!"

Daizō glared at me, his hair flying in the wind.

I felt my heart-rate increase. "Look… if this is about Josh… I never actually liked him. I just went out with him to make him happy. It was a stupid mistake, but I felt like I owed him!"

"You stupid girl," Daizō snapped. "You only think about yourself."

My nails dug into my palms. "Well, I'm sorry! It hasn't been the same since… since I found out I'm an esper… and that I have a twin brother! It's all a mess!" I glared at him, pulling my hands through my hair. My hair began burning, smoke trailing in the air. "And why would you quit just because I was going out with Josh? It shouldn't matter to you!"

"Actually, it does matter," Daizō said, standing up, "because _I_ liked Josh."

I let go of my hair. "I…"

"But that didn't matter to you," Daizō said. "No one cares about me."

The bus pulled up.

"Wrong," I said, grabbing his arm. "I care about you."

Daizō just laughed, but it sounded like he was in pain.

"I hope you can use those powers of yours to fix your mess, then," he said. He climbed onto the bus, leaving me behind. Dust flowed around me, and for the first time in a while, I cried.

* * *

**A/N: It's back bois! Told you we'd be seeing more of Paranormal Investigation. Ahh Arashi, you are going to suffer a lot in season 2... **

**Thanks for reading! See you next chapter. :D **


	15. Urban legends, encountering rumours

Safe to say I was a mess. My powers being useless weren't making things any better.

During the middle of the night, when I had to go to the bathroom, I accidentally made my bed float. I was so excited! And... then I proceeded to set my bed on fire. Followed by flinging myself out the window. While on fire. That went down well with the neighbours.

At dinner I made the food explode. It was pretty much a huge step-up from what my brothers did with their forks. Dad thought it was hilarious. Mom put me on dish duty for the rest of the week.

I wasn't getting much sleep anymore, either. I was morphing into an insomniac, and my grades started to sink even lower than before. I kept falling asleep in class, which, I admit, I was already doing, but I was dozing off in P.E, the only class I actually liked.

Ritsu tried to cheer me up by taking me out to my favourite restaurant, but I just felt crap the whole time. Even playing on Kumo didn't help. I couldn't enjoy music. What was wrong with me? I was a strong, independent woman. And here I was, falling to pieces.

Best part? It was all my fault.

Mob decided to invite me to suss out some urban legends with him and Reigen for a job call. He thought letting me use psychic powers in a work environment might make me feel better. I didn't have high hopes, nor did I believe in urban legends, but I decided to tag along anyway. I didn't really have anything better to do, after all.

We got on the train with Reigen. I was wearing some boring grey hoodie, while Mob was wearing a blue sweater. Reigen was wearing his infamous business suit, as he always did. Reigen blabbed on about the urban legends we'd be looking for. He said something about this urban legend called the Dragger, who was some creepy ghost lady. I didn't really tune in. I just glumly stared out the window, beating myself up.

"That's how you get business," Reigen said, talking about making money, as usual. He waved his hand in front of me. "Right, crazy girl?"

"Whatever," I said.

"Is she okay?" Reigen asked Mob. "She isn't being snarky for once."

"She's just tired," Mob said. God, I wish that were the case.

* * *

We set up 'shop' in the middle of a busy street. Reigen's table was incredibly small, so he had to crouch to be able to sit behind it. Mob and I were tasked with waving white flags that read 'Spiritual Advice' on them. People kept glaring at us.

"This isn't working," I said, after about five minutes of nothing.

"We might be bothering the pedestrians," Mob added.

"Hey, you three!" a voice called. We looked up. A big dude that looked like a sumo wrestler walked up to us. He was wearing a maroon sweater and a necklace of what looked like onions attached to a string. His spiky black hair was slicked back.

"Who said you could conduct your business here?" the guy demanded. "You dare set up shop here knowing that I, Shinra Banshomaru, greatest psychic of the century, hold jurisdiction here?"

_Greatest psychic of the century?_ I thought._ I guess they all call themselves that_,

"What do you mean, jurisdiction?" Reigen asked.

"You're not a member of the Rising Sun Spiritual Union?" Shinra asked.

"I'm a freelancer," Reigen said. "The name's Reigen Arataka. If you're also running a spirit-con business, could you introduce me to some clients? I haven't had too many lately."

"I'm not about to help a business rival," Shinra replied, folding his arms. "Begone at once!"

"I respectfully decline," Reigen said. "What authority do you have?"

"This is clearly a traffic violation," Shinra retorted.

_That explains it,_ I thought.

"You guys have no right to bring up the law," Reigen argued, getting closer to Shinra.

"And what do you mean by that?" Shinra asked.

"Um," a woman interrupted them. "Are you psychics?"

"Yes," both men answered, simultaneously.

"I'd like to discuss something with you," the woman said.

"But of course!" the men shouted, fighting to get closer to her. "Happy to help, ma'am!"

I was starting to regret coming along.

* * *

A few minutes later, we were all inside a restaurant, a bowl of chips between us. I was squished between Mob and Shinra, which didn't improve my mood.

"I've always been susceptible to spirits," the woman explained. "I often attract ghosts and other strange phenomena near me. Even as we speak, there's something next to me…"

Shinra and Reigen began their stupid bickering again. I focused on the spirit of a middle-aged man sitting next to the woman. I gave him the stink-eye. He began to sweat.

"Lately I've been getting a bad aura," the woman added. "I've only been able to get by thanks to a plate of salt in my apartment."

Of course. Salt was great for keeping spirits out. Or if you were me, who just told spirits to get lost or I'd throw them in the trash.

"But then I realised that the reason this eerie feeling has been getting worse lately is because of the sudden spread of urban legends around the city," the woman continued. "Human-faced dog, Dash Granny, Red Raincoat… and of course, the Dragger." She shivered. "Please, eliminate all of these urban legends."

"Come on…" Shinra said. "Who would take such an impossible request?"

"Please leave it to me, Reigen Arataka!" Reigen pointed at himself. "I'll make sure they're wiped off the face of this Earth!"

The woman grinned gratefully, her eyes shining.

"So, what course would you like to go with?" Reigen asked, pulling out a sheet of paper.

* * *

So, this ridiculous thing was actually happening, and Reigen was only doing it for 20,000 yen. And he dragged Shinra on board for the journey. What joy.

"I'll consider this charity work and help you out," Shinra said, walking away.

"Go with him, crazy girl," Reigen told me. "Make sure he doesn't slack. If he does, I'll get in trouble for trusting him."

Of course I was down for that, but it wasn't my main concern.

"What about Mob?" I asked.

"He'll be fine," Reigen said, trying to be assuring. I scowled.

"Just go, Arashi," Mob told me, patting my shoulder. "I'll be okay."

I sighed, clenching and un-clenching my fists. I glanced up at the stormy grey sky, before hesitantly following Shinra. A few moments later, Dimple materialised beside me as well.

"Oh, it's you," I said, looking up at him. My tone was still flat.

"Reigen sent me to follow that chubster as well," Dimple said. "He really doesn't trust him."

"How would anyone trust _Reigen_?" I asked, staring at the ground.

"You're not going to call him any swear words?" Dimple asked. "Or _me_, for that matter?"

I shrugged. "I don't care."

"Wow, I'm liking this personality change," Dimple said.

"Good. Because it's probably going to be here for a long time."

We caught up to Shinra.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me.

"Reigen made me follow you," I replied.

"And what's with this spirit?" he asked suspiciously, gazing at Dimple.

"He's an ally," I said. "He's following you too."

"Reigen is allying himself with evil spirits?!" Shinra asked in horror. "If he is, why isn't he arming himself with more powerful ones?"

"Hey!" Dimple shouted. "I'm one of the most powerful evil spirits to ever exist!"

"How is this conversation going to help us find urban legends?" I interrupted.

"I don't need a schoolgirl and a spirit following me," Shinra scoffed. "You two can go back to Reigen."

I felt a dull prickle of anger. Enough to make me want to stay put.

"No way," I said. "I'm an actual esper. If you want to deal with urban legends, you'll need someone with powers."

I decided not to bring up how rubbish I was with my powers.

"I already have powers," Shinra argued.

"The more the merrier," I countered.

"Fine!" Shinra sighed, raising his hands. "You and the spirit can come."

"The name's Dimple!" Dimple yelled.

We followed Shinra to a small, gloomy playground. He talked to a couple of young girls, scaring the crap out of them, unsurprisingly. They mentioned something about a dude in red hoodie, before Shinra got… well, overexcited. I don't think he meant to look like a creep, but I'm pretty sure it's common sense not to harass a little girl if you're an adult.

"We're leaving now," the girls said.

"Wait!" Shinra cried, holding out his arm to grab them. "You can't go home alone! You're girls!"

"Now you just sound like a pervert!" I yelled.

"I'm not a pervert!" Shinra retorted, sweating heavily. Other residents of the park were staring at him. "I'm an extremely well-known psychic!"

"Psychic?" a voice asked. "That sounds shady!"

A little boy threw rocks at Shinra.

"Hey!" Shinra yelled. "Stop throwing rocks!"

I sighed, and glared at the boy. "Cut it out, idiot."

The girls began walking away, muttering about Shinra being a creep.

"Wait!" Shinra yelled. "My lead!"

"Crap!" some guy that looked like the adult male equivalent of Little Red Riding Hood ran past me. "The girls I was after!"

"Now _he's_ a creep," I commented.

"Hold it right there!" Shinra yelled, chasing after the guy. Dimple and I just watched, eyes wide. Shinra grabbed the guy's foot, causing him to fall over… and reveal his butt. That no one wanted to see.

"Gross," I said, cringing.

"You must be the red raincoat!" Shinra cried.

"Don't get in my way!" the guy shouted. "There's nothing fun about exposing myself to another guy!"

"So you're a flasher that goes after children?" Shinra asked. "You filthy criminal!"

Then they started fighting, Mortal Kombat style. The kids in the background starting filming it.

"This is awesome!" one yelled. "Creep versus creep!"

I just stared in disbelief.

Shinra pinned the guy, whose name was Aka Rain, to the ground.

"I was vice-captain of the Sumo wrestling team when I was in school!" Shinra exclaimed. "You've got no chance against me!"

"That explains a lot," I muttered.

"I give up!" Aka Rain yelled, holding up his hands in defeat. "I give up, so let me go!"

Shinra got off him. They both stood there panting.

"You got me…" Aka Rain heaved. Then he looked up with a smirk. "Or so you thought!" He sprinted off, yelling, "I was on the track team in middle school, fatty!"

"Talk about playing dirty," I said, walking over to Shinra.

"No time to waste!" Shinra replied. "He's getting away!"

Shinra bolted off at top speed. I rolled my eyes, Dimple trailing behind me as I dashed after him.

* * *

Safe to say, I was miles ahead of Shinra. He wasn't a very fast runner. Aka Rain was pretty fast though; I was just behind him. He turned around and glared at me.

"Who are you?" he asked. "That fatty's plaything?"

I felt the dull anger in me get a little hotter, like a fire. A dry kindling that someone had added some additional fuel to. I kicked him in the butt; he tripped over, slamming against a tree. Right, I should've mentioned we'd run into a large forest. It was creepy, but I was too mad to be scared.

I was nobody's 'plaything'.

"Crazy brat!" Aka Rain yelled, as Shinra caught up.

"Now stay there!" Shinra said, panting heavily. He looked like he was about to collapse in on himself.

"Why are you chasing me?!" Aka Rain demanded. "This has nothing to do with you!"

"Ever heard of citizen's arrest?" Shinra asked. "Even a civilian can arrest a criminal in the act! Let the blades of justice bring you down, you pervert!"

"You seriously thought you caught me?" Aka Rain asked, his smile identical to that of a maniac's. He whipped out a taser. "I led you here on purpose!"

He shocked Shinra, who yelled out in pain. He collapsed to the ground in a flabby heap.

"I'll admit, this is all started with an unusual fetish," Aka Rain explained. He turned to me, holding out the tazer. I stepped back, really wishing my psychic powers would do something. "But after long, I started finding pleasure in rumours of me spreading around town. I felt like a celebrity!" He backed me up against a tree, the taser pointed at my neck. "Just by wearing this raincoat, I feel unstoppable! You wanna turn me into the police? I'd love to see you try!"

The fire in me had a flicker.

My fist glowed orange. I ran forward, punching Aka Rain in the chin. He screamed like a baby, soaring 30 meters across the sky. He crashed into a second tree, smoke curling up from his burnt hoodie. His body slumped over. He'd gone still. My stomach curled.

"Now that's more like it," Dimple whistled.

"I could've killed him, you idiot!" I cursed, my head spinning. I turned back to the man in front of me. "Shinra? You okay?"

Shinra made an incomprehensible noise. I kneeled down and sat him up against a tree. That's when I heard a creepy sound. The wind grew colder and hastier, and I felt prickles of ice against my face. I saw a tall woman with long, black hair and purple lips approaching me. Her skin was deathly pale, and dirty brown rags hung off her like loose skin.

She wasn't human, that's for sure.

"Who are you?" I demanded. I frowned. "_What_ are you?"

"Aren't you thirsty?" she asked. I noticed she was holding a red leash. On said leash were a bunch of creepy baby dolls, their eyes pierced out. Some had limbs missing.

"She's the Dragger!" Dimple told me. "She's an evil spirit!"

I held up my hands. The tree beside me set on fire. Dimple floated behind my head, staring at the flaming tree.

The Dragger reached out her hand. With one hand being my defence, I punched the Dragger across the jaw. Her head twitched sideways, like a broken doll. She gave me a smile that was nightmare-worthy, before grabbing my head. A cold, dark pain raced through me, like she'd thrown an icy dagger into my heart.

But I was all about fire.

I yelled a curse word, my hands glowing orange. I punched her again, this time leaving a fiery impact. The Dragger rubbed her cheek, which was now black ashes. Her eyes went wide, and she disappeared into the darkness. She re-appeared beneath me, grabbing my body in black tentacles, that weren't unlike her hair. She flung me into the lake nearby, dragging me down.

My world had gone black. Everything was cold and empty. It was just like how I felt inside - heartbroken. Lonely. No one could help me with my powers. I'd lost my band. I couldn't enjoy anything anymore. I couldn't feel.. anything.

_Why am I here? _

"Arashi!" I heard a voice yell. It was Dimple, from my subconscious. His voice was echoing all around me.

"I'm gonna get you out of here," he told me. "Hold tight, crazy girl!"

Then I lost control of my body. Against my will, I was floating up towards the surface of the lake. It was so quick my brain couldn't keep up. I emerged from the water like a flying fish and landed on the side. Water dripped out of my hoodie.

Still against my will, I stood up.

"Guess Reigen was right to send me in as insurance!" Dimple said, through my mouth.

"There she is," Shinra said. A faint purple aura surrounded his onion necklace, and wrapped itself around the Dragger. "Spirit hold!"

The Dragger broke out of the 'spirit hold' with little ease.

"My turn!" Dimple yelled. He raised my hands. "You've got a lot of power, girl. Fire blast!"

I shot a blast of fiery hot energy at the Dragger. She let out an ear-piercing screech, falling backwards.

"Nice job!" Shinra told me.

The Dragger got up, her nails turning into long, sharp claws. She raced towards us, slicing the air. I scrambled out of the way. Shinra attempted to body slam her, but she was ready for him. She swiped her claws, sending him flying.

"Call for backup!" Dimple yelled at Shinra. "We'll distract her!"

Shinra nodded hastily. We turned back to fighting the Dragger. Dimple raised my arms, summoning more fire. I threw a barrage of fire balls at the Dragger. She kept screeching, and wiggled out of the way. My fireballs kept going out after a few seconds, thanks to the rain that was thundering down. Dimple had me leap up a tree like a monkey, where I stayed up there, deathly still. The Dragger sliced the tree down with a few quick slashes.

My heart was racing as the tree plummeted towards the earth. Dimple saved me by having me leap over to another tree. I slid down slowly, like it was a pole. The Dragger began to change her form. Her skin became swelled up like a beehive, and expanded like crazy. An evil laugh erupted from her lips.

"She's going for function over form," Dimple said, sounding a little scared. I couldn't blame him.

The Dragger came racing towards us. Dimple pretty much flew me through the air, hoping from tree to tree faster than my brain could keep on. The Dragger kept swiping at me like an angry cat. I did a backflip and landed on the ground. I can't tell you how weird it was to be doing all this stuff without actually having control of my body.

"Damn," Dimple cursed, as I landed on the ground. I was covered in mud and rainwater. "Your fire powers aren't very useful in a rainy forest. I can only defend you for so long."

"_Shigeo will be here soon_," I replied, subconsciously.

"He better be," Dimple said, as the Dragger approached us. He made me hold out my hand, using telekinesis to pick up a log. I threw it at the Dragger, who sliced it into smithereens. She came closer, giving me an ugly view of the leeches sucking away on her face. She pointed a long, sharp knife at me. I backed up against a tree.

"Can't give up," Dimple muttered. "Shigeo will lose faith in me if you die. And… And I can't let that happen."

But it seemed like the end. The knife was centimetres from my eye. I didn't want to believe it; I'd come so far, only to end it like this? Was this karma for what I'd done?

Suddenly, the Dragger was slammed into a tree with a sickening crack.

"Get away from my sister." a familiar voice said. Reigen, Mob and Shinra were behind me.

"Wow, so that's the Dragger?" Reigen asked. "I need to get a photo on my screen!" He pulled out his phone, and squinted. "Hey - she's not showing up!"

The Dragger zoomed away with a flash.

"She ran!" Reigen cried, stepping back.

"She was created by the imagination of humans," Dimple said, slipping out of my body. I fell over, my limbs aching. "That's where her looks and strength came from."

"Since we know about the Dragger, we won't be able to exorcise her." Shinra added.

"Huh?" Reigen asked. "Why?"

"Wasn't there a time as a kid when you were frightened by rumours of her?" the former sumo wrestler asked.

"True," Reigen replied, frowning.

"The Dragger would appear before kids heading home from school," Shinra continued, "snatching them up and dragging them into the bog. That fear is still burned into our brains. We're trembling as we speak."

"So I'm breaking into a cold sweat because deep-down, I'm scared?" Reigen asked.

"Powers used in fear only empower the source," Shinra said. "My spiritual powers did nothing, and neither did that girl's."

"Arashi," I said, my voice raspy. Shigeo helped me stand up. The ground was covered in water, but it was actually more like quicksand. I couldn't get out of it.

"Arashi," Shinra corrected, "since we both feared her. That's how she grows her powers."

"Attacking her is futile," Reigen replied. He turned to my brother. "Mob, temporary retreat."

The guys tried to get out of the 'water' as well, but nothing worked. We were all stuck.

"What is this?" Reigen shouted.

Suddenly, a huge face formed out of the grey water. It was the face of the Dragger, but thousands of times bigger. It sagged, and her black eyes bled out. My heart was racing. Needles to say, the fire in my heart had come alight. Out of panic.

"Shigeo!" I yelled, holding out my hand.

The Dragger formed a fist made of mud, and slammed it down. I shut my eyes, body immobile, only to realise Mob was covering us with a glowing, blue shield.

"Didn't you hear him, Mob?" Reigen yelled. "Your powers will be absorbed, too!"

"Wait, hang on a sec…" Dimple said, appearing nearby us. "It's actually working!"

He was right. Mob's powers were crushing the monster, forcing her backwards. My eyes were wide.

"It's because he's out of the loop!" I yelled. "He doesn't care about urban legends, hot topics, or whatever between people! He doesn't know what makes the Dragger so scary!"

For once, I was proud of my brother for being a social outcast. Again and again, he was proving how strong he was.

And how strong I was not.

Shigeo raised his arms. Blue light completely surrounded us, almost blinding me. I shielded my eyes, hearing a ghastly scream. I hesitantly opened them a few moments later, to see Shigeo looking bored as ever. The Dragger was gone.

"It's a ghost that appears in the rain," Shigeo shrugged. "It's not exactly scary."

"You're right, Mob," I said, laughing. "Nothing's as scary as you when you're mad."

* * *

We said goodbye to Shinra, and got that Aka Rain guy arrested. He'd survived, thankfully, but had a few broken bones. Well, at least he couldn't perv on kids anymore. I was pretty tired, but feeling more… motivated than before. That experience had certainly given me a few nightmares, but it had made me feel… a little better about myself.

"I'm gonna go home now," I told Shigeo and Reigen. I gave Shigeo a hug. "Thanks. That was what I needed, Shigeo."

Shigeo gave me a small smile. "Anything for my sister."

I got on the next bus that came and sat down by the window. My thoughts jumbled around in my head like a storm. Maybe it was okay to be a social outcast, sometimes. Everything had a silver lining. If Mob hadn't been a social outcast, we would've died against the Dragger.

And I couldn't do everything by myself, either. Dimple had saved my life.

I'd been selfish. Now I had to face my own fears, which, honestly, scared me much more than any stupid urban legend.

I sighed and glanced at my phone. I rung a number I'd been avoiding for a little while.

"Hey, Josh," I said. "How's it going?"


	16. One danger after another: degeneration

Believe it or not, we actually managed to get the band back together. It took a lot of tears and Miko's cookies, but we actually got back together. Miko was so happy she even made custom wristbands for us all to wear. I swear, that girl was a legend at arts and crafts.

"You are the new merch lady," Josh told her, glancing at the black and green wristband on his wrist. "This is awesome!"

"It glows in the dark, too," Miko said, with a small smile.

"Seriously?!" Josh asked, eyes wide. "That is _so _cool!"

"You think everything is cool," Daizō said, rolling his eyes. Ever since he'd rejoined the band, he'd become more vocal.

"Nothing wrong with a little optimism," I replied.

"See?" Josh asked. "Even Arashi's happy!"

"I said a _little _optimism," I sighed.

Josh snorted. "You guys are downers."

"Um," Miko held up a box of glow-in-the-dark bracelets. "Do you think we should sell these to the other students? We can use the money for the school's music program."

"That's a great idea!" Josh said, grinning. "Let's do it, guys!"

"Hmm," Daizō looked unsure. "Would people really buy them?"

"Of course they would," Josh put his arm around Daizō's shoulders. Daizō turned a bright red. "Believe in the band, buddy."

Daizō and Josh weren't exactly a 'couple' yet, but they'd been spending more time together. I had a feeling sooner or later they would be together.

"Well... if you insist," Daizō said, staring at his hands.

Miko's smile had a strange edge to it. "Glad we're all on board..."

* * *

My power training still wasn't going very well, but as for karate, I was in top form. I could still kick tail just as well as I could before. At least I still had that if my powers failed.

Onigawara caught up with me after school.

"So, I hear you're an esper," he said.

"Yeah, what of it?" I asked.

"Will you fight Mayo Middle School's top gang for us?" Onigawara asked.

I rolled my eyes. "No way."

"Why not? You'd kick their butt!"

"I'm not going to use my powers on some dumb middle school delinquents," I scoffed. My heart clenched. The truth was I didn't want to embarrass myself with my powers. Especially in front of a gang.

"Aw, come on," Onigawara punched my shoulder. "I thought you were tough!"

"I am," I retorted. "I'm just not an idiot."

Onigwara rolled his eyes. "Ain't that the truth."

He tried to keep talking me into it, but I ignored him. I began to understand how Mob felt. Being an esper sucked when people tried to hit you up every ten minutes. I gave Onigawara a Paranormal Investigation wristband, then told him to leave me alone.

* * *

I was walking to school with Ritsu, again. We were really starting to bond, yet it made me feel guilty for all the time I'd mistreated him. I gazed at the sunset. It... reminded me of a raging inferno, strangely.

"How do you manage to do all your homework and be in the Student Council?" I asked.

"Same way you're captain of the Karate club and in your band," Ritsu replied. "Time management."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course."

"How's it going with your powers?" Ritsu asked.

I frowned, staring at the morning sky. A faint breeze ruffled my skirt.

"Well…" I trailed off when I saw someone familiar. It was Shigeo… but he was surrounded by bullies. One of them was grabbing him by the front of his shirt.

"Ritsu," I hissed, pointing at the bullies. We both shared a glance of pure rage. The fire in me was burning brightly, and I felt tingles race down my spine. I raced towards the bullies, smoke trailing behind me.

"Get away from my brother!" I yelled, punching the bully holding Mob. He yelled, flying off in the opposite direction. He crashed nearby a family of ducks. A burn mark had seared right through his clothes.

"Arashi!" Mob cried, staring at the passed-out bully. "Um, there was no need for that!"

"I'm not letting anyone hurt you, big bro," I told him firmly. I glared at the other bully and held up my fist. "You want some of this too, buddy?"

He screamed, picked up his friend, and ran away.

"That's what I thought," I snapped, panting heavily. I stared at my hands, which had smoke trailing from them.

"Are you okay, Shigeo?" Ritsu asked, walking over to Mob.

"I'm fine," Shigeo said.

"You won't need to worry about those idiots ever again, bro," I told him. "I won't let 'em touch you."

Shigeo didn't smile at me. He just nodded, looking away.

* * *

I had another training session with Teru after school. As usual, it didn't go very well.

"Aim there," Teru told me, grabbing my arm.

"Don't touch me," I snapped.

"Alright, alright, calm down," Teruki said, waving his arms.

I sighed. I just wanted to use my powers correctly. Why couldn't I? Why did I get the short end of the stick? Shigeo and Ritsu made it look so easy...

"Just be patient," Teruki told me.

"You've said like that a thousand times," I groaned. "You know I'm not patient!"

Teruki sighed. "True. You are probably the most difficult student I have. No offence."

"I'll take it as a compliment," I said.

That's when I noticed something weird in the distance, between the trees. A flash of something dark. We were outside in a bushy area around midday, so it wasn't too hard to miss.

"Did you see that?" I asked Teruki.

"No," Teruki replied. "I did _feel _it, however."

I concentrated again. Now I could feel the energy of someone nearby, a life force. It wasn't overwhelming, but I could still sense it. An esper's energy was different. You basically got hit with a wham of psychic energy. This person just seemed normal.

"Must be another creep," I shrugged. I glared at the spot where I'd seen the person. "Hey! You! Quit spying on me!"

I couldn't see any movement, but I felt their presence disappear.

"Weirdos," I sighed. "We really need to train somewhere else."

"Hmm," Teruki mused. He walked over to where they'd been standing. He noticed something on the ground, and kneeled down to pick it up. He frowned.

"Isn't this your band's logo?" he asked, holding up the object. My heart almost stopped when I saw it.

It was one of the Paranormal Investigation wristbands. Someone from school had been spying on us!

* * *

"Get one for 100 yen!" Josh yelled. "Or two for 150 yen!"

That's right, we were actually selling the bracelets. I was sitting there in my band t-shirt, holding up a basket full of bracelets.

Ritsu came over to us. "Looks like you're making a good sale."

"Yep," I said. "We're going to use the money to support the school's music program."

Ritsu grinned. "Didn't know you were into charities, sister."

"I'm not," I replied. "I'm into helping my band."

Ritsu bought 3 wristbands, one for himself, and two for the other student council members. Miko accepted the yen quite greedily. The strange look on her face looked very out of place.

"You okay?" I asked her.

"Huh?" she asked. She blushed. "Oh... yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

I was about to say something more, but more students came to the stand. Ones that I recognised.

Shigeo and the Body Improvement Club.

"So you're selling jewellery now?" Onigawara asked me.

I rolled my eyes. "Dumbo, it's merchandise."

"I ain't buying your crappy merchandise," Onigawara scoffed.

"Sure, whatever," I said, shrugging. "You already got one anyway." I turned to Mob, who was buying some wristbands from Josh. I gave him a smile; he nodded back.

"For the school's music program!" Musashi cheered, raising a hand with a wristband around it. The rest of his club copied him.

"Yeah!" Josh cheered, putting his arms around us.

"Hey!" I grumbled, getting squished against Daizō. "No unplanned group hugs!"

Josh just laughed. God, that guy was a prick sometimes.

* * *

Mob was being morbid that night.

I tried talking to him, but he didn't feel like talking. He actually told me to leave him alone, straight to my face. Safe to say, it crushed me a little. I retreated to my room in solitude. My heart hurt a little more.

I strummed Kumo absentmindedly as a thought hit me:

Mob was changing. He was becoming more independent.

Of course he was. He was a teen, growing up. So was I!

But I didn't want to lose him. I didn't want to stop being his aide.

How was I supposed to deal with change when the world was moving on without me?


	17. Inside, evil spirit

It's not often I have interesting dreams.

Most of the time, I don't even remember them. The few I do remember are just plain weird or scary. Some are downright depressing. I remember a dream from when I was 6 years old. I got dragged into a trash can by this psycho in a blue hoodie. As weird as it was, the thought of it still makes me uncomfortable.

One night I had probably the most bizarre dream of all. It went like this:

Shigeo, Reigen and Dimple had gone over to this huge mansion, which was housing a 14-year-old girl called Minori who had been possessed by an evil spirit, who apparently used to be some really powerful esper that became evil. Reigen and co had been joined by many other espers, who also wanted to save the possessed girl. Unfortunately, the girl was too powerful for them, and overpowered them all quickly.

The only one who actually stood a chance against her was my brother, of course.

"_There is a solution_," Mob said, clenching his fists. "_I'll make you disappear!_"

His hair flew around his face, and psychic power roared out of him. It approached Minori, forcing some kind of dark power out of her. It appeared above her, shaped like a demonic skull.

"_Now we're talking!_" Dimple yelled.

I saw Matsuo from Claw watching Mob with wide eyes. My brother was staring at the demonic skull in horror.

"_What the Hell is that?_" Matsuo shouted. "_I've never seen anything like it!_"

Shigeo put on his game-face. "_Get out of Minori-san… now!_"

He waved his arm, sending a huge blast of power towards Minori. The demonic skull went back inside her, just as the wave hit. Her eyes glowed a bright white, and an explosion shook the whole room.

"_Amazing_," said some weirdo, who was dressed like a clown. "_I thought he was just some kid… but he's insanely powerful!_"

Minori stood there, a creepy smile on her face. Even though I wasn't physically there, my stomach dropped.

She hadn't gotten rid of the spirit. She'd _fused_ with it.

"_Master, the situation's gotten even worse_," Mob told Reigen, gravely.

"_You're telling me he's even stronger than you, Mob?_" Reigen asked.

"_Yes_," Mob admitted.

"_That bastard_," Dimple muttered. "_He's even livelier now than when he was alive!_"

Minori - or should I say _Mogami_ \- laughed. His voice sounded like an old man's, and his skin had gone purple.

"_You done, kid?_" he asked.

The other espers yelled, racing towards him. "_Now's our only chance!_"

Mogami beat them all up with little ease.

"_That bastard actually did it_," Dimple cursed. "_He actually became the most powerful evil spirit._" He patted Mob's shoulder. "_Well, if you die and can't pass on, at least we'll have each other._"

"_Don't even joke about that!_" Reigen scolded.

"_I see,_" Shigeo said. "_I can go inside Minori-san, and expel the spirit from within_."

I felt a wave of shock pass over me. It almost woke me up.

"_Are you stupid?!_" Dimple shouted. "_How's a human like you going to enter another human?!_"

"_With an out of body experience_," Mob explained.

"_I see_," Dimple mused. "_But during that time, your body will be completely defenceless. Not to mention her body will resist you!_"

"_I have no other choice,_" Mob replied. He blinked. "_Dimple, could you possess my body for a while and protect it?_"

"_Say what?_" Dimple asked. For once, I agreed with the floating booger. What was Mob thinking?! He couldn't just-

"_No, no!_" Reigen waved his hands. "_Anything but that, Mob! If you let him in, he'll probably never leave._"

Dimple's face had gone dark. "_You know what you're signing up for, right?_"

Shigeo didn't even look fazed.

"_Are you seriously going to trust Dimple?_" Reigen asked.

"_I'm sure it'll be fine,_" Mob replied.

I began yelling some bad words, but he couldn't hear me. My heart was pounding. It felt so _real_, more real than any other dream I'd had before. I'd never been so involved.

Dimple just went pale… somehow.

"_First, I need to lose consciousness,_" Mob said. "_Concentrate…_"

_Brother_, I thought. _Oh God. It's just a dream, right? This isn't actually happening!_

_Hey... how come I'm not waking up? _

Mob fell over. Reigen quickly caught him, but his eyes were drawn to something else.

A spirit. Mob's spirit, hovering in the air.

"_Holy crap!_" Reigen cried. "_Even I can see it!_"

Mogami suddenly turned around, a wicked smile on his face.

_You_, I thought hastily. _You damn bastard. Stay away from him!_

Reigen tried to protect Mob, but Mogami was too strong for him. He slammed him into the wall, stopping him from moving. He then grabbed Mob's body by its head.

"_If you don't need this body anymore_," he hissed, "_why don't I take it off your hands?_"

Then Mob's body punched him in the face. It looked up, revealing… Dimple was possessing it.

"_You idiot_," he told Mogami, shoving him away. "_It belongs to me now!_"

Mob being possessed by Dimple gave his body an energy I'd never seen in him before. He actually looked a little terrifying. The scary smile did not suit him.

"_That's what you get!_" Dimple yelled, holding up his fists.

Mogami began attacking him. They fought back and forth for a bit. Dimple pulled a few gymnastic moves, which really made Shigeo look like a completely different person. Safe to say I was on the edge of my seat.

"_Another spirit_," Mogami growled. "_You're a nuisance._" He raised a hand. "_Begone._"

"_Now, Shigeo!_" Dimple roared.

Shigeo's spirit penetrated Minori's body. A blue-ish light exploded out from her back.

"_So that's your game,_" Mogami murmured.

"_Yeah_," Dimple said, smirking. "_He's not a normal kid._"

The light dissipated. Mogami collapsed into a heap.

"_Go…_" Reigen whispered, coughing. "_I know you can… do it…_"

All I felt was a sense of dread. Mob was in there, in danger. My heart was racing even faster, feeling like a bomb that was due to explode. The world began melting away, and I screamed and screamed, calling out for my brother.

_Shigeo!_

* * *

I woke up with a sweat. I was sitting on my bed, some maths homework on my lap. I took a few moments to breathe, and calm my beating heart. A cool breeze was coming in from my slightly ajar window. I realised I must've fallen asleep. Maths homework had a tendency to do that.

I thought about what had happened to Shigeo. It sure had been a weird dream. I was just worrying about him, right? He was fine, right?

Yet… I couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling in my stomach.

I glanced at my phone. He was safe, right? Just at work. Doing something normal. Not entering anyone's body with his spirit.

I decided to send him a text, just to be safe. I waited for an agonising ten minutes, but he didn't respond.

_He's probably eating food, or fighting someone,_ I thought. _Maybe I'll call him instead._

I rung him, hands sweating. The phone buzzed for a bit. I felt little pricks of panic. No one was-

Then someone answered.

"Oh Mob," I sighed. "Thank God. I thought-"

"I'm not Mob," a voice interrupted. My breath caught in my throat.

"Reigen," I said, cautiously. "Where… where is Mob?"

Reigen's voice went tight. "Well… he..."

He told me everything that had happened in the dream. I dropped the phone in pure shock.

"Crazy girl?" he asked. "Arashi? Are you there?"

I wasn't listening anymore. I was searching for my jacket and my train schedule.

"You're not... coming here, are you?" Reigen asked. "Don't even think about it."

I hung up on him and slipped my jacket on. It was time to save my brother.

* * *

The train ride was horrible, since it just took too long. I wished I knew how to use my psychic powers to teleport or something like that. Or fly.

I finally made it to the mansion, via a ton of running. The entrance was quite impressive, but I didn't take time to gape at it. I just ran through the main doors, entering a hallway where I saw a lot of unconscious people. All the espers I'd seen in my dream. Reigen and Dimple were there, as well as Minori.

"You shouldn't be here," Reigen told me. "You can't help Mob."

"Oh yeah?" I asked, clenching my fists. "Why not?"

Reigen shook his head. "He's inside Minori's body. You'll have to wait until he comes out."

"That's exactly why I'm going in," I replied.

Reigen choked on his saliva.

"No way," Dimple advised me, still in Mob's body. "It's risky enough with _Mob_ leaving his body behind. If you do the same thing…"

"I don't care," I growled. "I'm not letting him face this alone."

"Arashi, please," Reigen said, grabbing my arm. "It's too-"

"Dangerous," I snapped. "Yeah, I know. But Mob needs someone there for him. And that has to be me."

"You're insane," Dimple told me. "I'm serious! Control yourself!"

I glared at him. "I don't care what you think of me. I'm doing it whether you want me to or not!"

And I wasn't going to let Mob do this alone, no matter the consequences.

I focused, feeling the world become disjointed. _Set the spirit free,_ I told myself. I hummed a small mantra, a song I'd played on Kumo. The world began to blur, like it was foggy outside. I was getting there.

A force held onto my shoulder. Reigen.

"Stop," he told me. "Don't do it!"

I gritted my teeth. "I've been a bad sister. I've been neglecting him, Reigen. I've gotta save him. No going back!"

"No!" Reigen yelled.

I shut out his voice, my body turning to an ethereal mush. I felt my spirit floating up into the air. The world became pale, and glowed with energy. I turned my attention towards Minori's body.

_Shigeo, don't worry. Your sister is coming._

I flew towards the body, everything turning white.


	18. Discord, Choices 2

I was at a funeral, in some old, dusty church. There was no one there, aside from a lone priest. And a boy with spiky orange hair.

The boy was wearing a black cloak that covered everything except his head. His blue eyes were downcast. Aside from that, he was showing no emotion. Something about him was familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint what. A cold wind blew through the Church, ruffling my hair. The priest, from his stand, looked up.

"We are here today to mourn the loss of a young life," he said. "Her name was Arashi Suzuki."

Arashi Suzuki… that was me, wasn't it? My head felt fuzzy...

"She was a powerful esper, dearly beloved by her family," the priest continued. "She had a close connection to her dear twin brother. She was also quite close to her parents. She shared many memories with them in her short but wonderful life."

I saw the boy shuffling uncomfortably.

Something didn't make sense. It felt like someone had distorted the pieces of my story. Was I meant to be dead...?

"She lost her life after getting in the midst of war between espers," the priest said. "So young, but so brave. Her sacrifice will not be forgotten."

_I don't… I don't get it…._

"This is what would've happened if you'd never been found by that Shigeo boy 7 years ago," a voice said. "You wouldn't even be alive."

I tensed up, whipping around. Standing there was a creepy dude wearing a green jacket. His black hair was combed over his black eyes. A strange energy radiated from him. Something about him made me vastly uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" I asked.

The man shrugged. "I was once known as Keiji Mogami, the Greatest Psychic of the 20th century."

That name rung a bell.

"I've heard of you from somewhere," I said.

Keiji tilted his head. "You might've. Tell me, Arashi, why are you here?"

I frowned. My head was still hurting. I had a reason to be here, but every time I tried to think about it, my head would hurt more.

"I…" I trailed off. "I'm not sure. I think… I think I came looking for someone…?"

"Does the name 'Shigeo Kageyama' mean anything to you?" Keiji asked.

That name rung a big bell. It was so familiar, like an old friend, yet I couldn't figure out why.

"It rings a bell," I answered.

Keiji had a dark look on his face. "You really are weaker than I thought."

I spluttered. "Excuse me?"

"Your mind was easily to manipulate," he laughed. "Either it's because you're hopeless with psychic powers, or you're as weak as water."

"I…" I felt a hot rage stab me. "I'm _not _weak."

Keiji chuckled. "You think that, stupid girl. You've always thought you were the strongest, haven't you? Pathetic."

I clenched my fists. "Shut up, you-"

"Your brother is doomed to stay here forever," Keiji continued, darkness shadowing his face. "You'll never see him again."

That's when it hit me. My brother.

"I know who I came looking for," I realised, digging my nails into my palms. "And I know who you _are_, as well."

Keiji raised his brow. "So you've regained your memories. Let's see how well you fare without your powers."

The orange-haired boy, who I now knew was my twin brother, turned and glared at me. His eyes began glowing.

"What the…" I trailed off. "Sho, what are you doing?"

"You impostor," he growled. "Stay away from me!"

He ran towards me, fist glowing. He looked much younger, only around 6 or 7, yet he was still intimidating. I felt myself backing up instinctively, and holding up my hands. Sho punched me in the side; I crash-landed into a pew, banging my head.

I muttered a curse as blood trickled down my forehead.

"Stay away!" Sho yelled again, racing towards me. I stood up, leaping out of his way. He skidded across the ground, digging his hand onto the ground. Smoke curled up from his fingertips.

"Sho, please," I said, raising my voice. "I'm really your sister! You need to stop!"

Sho ignored my cries, running towards me. I held up my arms. As Sho reached out his fist, I grabbed his arm and slammed him onto the ground. I put my knee on his back, keeping him pinned.

"Let me go!" Sho yelled, wiggling around.

"You need to listen to me," I replied, sternly.

Sho kept screaming out curse words. I felt awful. He was just a little kid, and I was pinning him to the ground like kind of serial murderer.

"I am your sister," I said. "From another timeline. I'm… I'm basically what would've happened if I lived instead of died."

"Liar!" Sho yelled, glaring harshly at me.

"I'm not lying," I insisted, "and I don't want to hurt you. I just need you to stop fighting."

Sho's eyes welled up. "I…" He clenched his fists. "You…"

"That man over there," I glared at Keiji, "is trying to keep me away from…" I couldn't call Shigeo 'my brother' in front of Sho. Not now. "... my friend. So I've got to deal with him."

I got off Sho, who stared at me in wonder. I walked over to Keiji, and glared at him.

"Where's Shigeo?!" I demanded.

"He's in a mind world of his own," Keiji said, "an alternate universe where has no friends or family."

"Take me to him," I insisted.

"You won't like what he's become," Keiji warned. "And besides, he won't remember you. He'll see you as an enemy."

I clenched my fists. "I don't care! Take me to him!"

Keiji sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Sometimes, it's best to leave things as they are."

And then I disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

Keiji actually had a point. I did not like what Shigeo had 'become'.

I found him by someone's house, darkness and mist swirling around. He was surrounded by a few students, most of which were lying on the ground, blood foaming from their mouths. One of them was Minori. Shigeo had his hand around some guy's throat, and was holding him in the air. It looked so… _wrong_. So not like, well, the Mob I knew.

"Oh my God," I muttered. I raised my head. "Shigeo! What the Hell are you doing?!"

Shigeo turned to me, glaring. The blood dripping down his face did not make him look friendly.

"Another idiot come to mess with me?" he asked. "Weird, I've never seen you around before… oh well." He threw the guy he was strangling aside, and walked towards me. "I can deal with you."

_Oh God_, I thought. _Not another fight with my brother! _

"Shigeo, don't you know who I am?!" I asked. "It's me, Arashi!"

Shigeo frowned. "Never heard of you."

_That's right. Keiji said he wouldn't recognise me._

"I'm your sister," I said, putting emotion in my voice. "Remember?"

Shigeo's frown turned to a hard scowl. "I don't have a sister."

"Yes you do," I replied. "And a brother. And a whole family! You're in the Body Improvement Club, and you have a job as a psychic."

Shigeo blinked. "I… I…"

I was about to say more, when Dimple appeared beside me.

"I got this," he told me. "Hold on."

He flew over to Shigeo.

"What… what is this creature?" Shigeo asked, staring curiously at Dimple.

"I can't believe you fell for those illusions," Dimple said, sighing. He then proceeded to punch Mob in the jaw.

"Dimple!" I yelled.

"Remember, Shigeo," he said. "Reigen and I are waiting for you outside!"

"Rei… gen…?" Mob asked, sitting up slowly. "Who's that?"

He then got a phone call, from the one and only Reigen.

"Mas… ter?" he asked, after listening to Reigen talk.

"Come on, man," I said, walking over to Shigeo. "Those are Ritsu's shoes."

"They are…" Mob said, eyes widening with realisation. "And… I've got your pen in my pocket… Arashi…"

"Don't let Mogami influence you," Dimple said. "You held to your values, even when fighting Hanazawa!"

"That's right," Mob agreed. "I'm not supposed to use these powers against other people."

"Exactly, big bro," I said. "And what would the Body Improvement Club say if they saw you losing a fight against these weak idiots?"

"What would your beloved Tsubomi say?" Dimple added.

"Body Improvement…" Mob whispered. He suddenly grew a few feet, and became extremely muscular.

"Yeah!" I cheered. "That's more like it!"

Mob's muscular body deflated like a balloon. "I remember," he said. He then turned to me. "Arashi… what are you doing here?! You shouldn't be here!"

"And let you fight that Mogami creep by yourself?" I asked. I shook my head. "Hell no, big bro. We're in this together."

Shigeo shook his head at me. "You worry me, sister."

I was about to reply, but that's when Mogami decided to show his face.

"So what if your memories came back?" Mogami taunted. "The six months you've spent here are forever etched into your heart. I know you were hearing my voice subconsciously."

"Just like you said, the world can be a cruel and messed up place," Mob replied. I noticed the students he had been fighting were standing up, their bodies going into uncanny valley territory. "But you helped me see it in a new light."

Panic rushed through me. "You don't mean..."

"I'm truly blessed," Shigeo said, smiling. "I need to be more thankful of the people around me once I get back to the real world."

"So that's how it's going to be?" Mogami asked, his face covered in darkness. "And here I thought I'd found a sympathiser. How disappointing."

"One more thing," Shigeo continued, "I was able to change through my interactions with others. I was able to become a little stronger than if I had been alone. If I'm able to change, then everyone else should be able to as well. That means no one is worthless."

I stared at my brother in awe. He'd really changed. A tear threatened to fall down my cheek.

"Don't say another word…" Mogami growled, glowing with dark energy, "or you'll have Hell to pay."

"The Shigeo you fabricated might succumb to you, but I won't," Shigeo retorted, "I'm not going to run. I still have that awful Asigiri-san to save."

Lightning came shredding through the clouds. The whole world began melting into dark energy, forming around Mogami. Some giant, glowing creatures that looked like ghosts formed. Their black eyes pierced straight into my soul.

"Go, Shigeo!" I yelled. Mob waved his hand, destroying the spirits with a single hit.

"More there!" Dimple shouted. Shigeo destroyed the second batch with ease. More and more kept coming, and I noticed a Godzilla-sized one forming… right behind us.

"Shigeo!" I yelled. I held out my hands, begging my psychic powers to actually work for once. The monster grabbed Shigeo in its glowing hands, and sent him flying. I screamed, fire racing out of my body. I jumped up into the air, sending a blast of power towards the Godzilla spirit. It reached out a hand to grab me, but I melted it with my powers.

"Leave my brother alone," I growled.

Keiji laughed. "Don't you ever listen, girl? If you play with fire, you're going to get burned."

The monster formed another hand, grabbing me in a suffocating grip. It launched me across the world. I slammed into a wall of some kind. The monster jumped towards me, and I braced myself.

Shigeo appeared in front of me, forming a shield. "I will defeat this spirit, and then my sister and I will go home!"

"And what good would that do?" Mogami taunted. "The life you lead won't change, and nor will society's absurdities. There will be plenty of things to trouble and annoy you."

I clenched my fists, using one to grab Shigeo's shirt.

"Life is frustrating, devoid of meaning, and so, so painful," Mogami droned on.

Anguish raced over me. I could hear voices of the dead, screaming in pain. It was almost overwhelming, and I thought I was going to fall. My body felt cold, like how it had been in that lake. I thought I was going to drown.

_The world is so pointless. So cruel. How could you live? _

Shigeo grabbed my arm, keeping me in place.

"I've got you, sister," he told me. "Don't worry."

"I'm not worried," I replied. I gave him a smile. "Not when I have you around."

_Help me,_ a voice whispered. Minori.

"Now there's someone else we need to save." I said. Mob nodded. He flew into the air with a trail of sparks.

"I'll use my powers to save people!" he cried, his hair flying around him. His eyes shimmered with pride and joy. He looked like a magical girl of some kind.

"It doesn't matter what you do," Mogami growled. "You cannot defeat me!"

A horde of red spirits came racing towards my brother. With a flash of glittery pink and blue light, the spirits were defeated.

"Well, I'll be damned," Mogami scoffed. His body was glowing black and green, and appeared to be moving around like some kind of elastic. "You're not the same boy from before. Who are you?"

Honestly, Shigeo looked so weird I wasn't even sure _I_ knew for a second. But there was something I did know.

"He's way stronger than you," I told Mogami. "We both are!"

Fire appeared behind me, like it was ready to defend me. Mogami roared and charged towards us.

"Stay back, sister," Mob told me, standing in front of me. "It's my turn to defend you."

Mogami slammed into Mob, and the two zoomed across the sky, pink and blue mixing with a deep red. Again, it reminded me of a crazy firework show. I watched in awe, fire flickering around me. I grinned. My brother was so cool.

I saw Mogami and Mob meet in the middle, and then the explosion of the century happened. The entire world was blown up. Roads were torn up like paper, buildings destroyed like they were made of dust. Mob's power surrounded me. It gave me an aura of protection, but also fear. I was glad I was on Mob's side.

I thought it was over. That was until I saw hundreds of glowing, red spirits approaching my brother. He was surrounded by them. I could barely see him.

"Shigeo!" I yelled, running over to him. Dimple appeared beside me.

"Dimple, get Arashi out of here!" Shigeo yelled, the spirits covering his face. "I'll be fine!"

"No you won't!" I yelled, standing up. "I'm not leaving without you!"

"Arashi!" Dimple cried, but I ignored him. I raced towards the spirits, my hands glowing with fire. I reached in, trying to grab my brother's hand. The spirits kept trying to push me out. My brain was overwhelmed with thoughts of anguish. The pain trudged through me. My whole body felt like cement. Sweat streamed down my face like hot tears.

No. It wasn't over.

"Shigeo!" I screamed again. I shoved past the glowing spirits, anger filling me with a new passion. My fire burned them away, their ghostly energy smoking up. I saw Shigeo staring at me with wide eyes. I reached out a hand and pulled him up. He held onto me, tears in his eyes.

"Thank you, Arashi," he whispered. "You're getting better with your powers. I'm proud of you."

I smiled. "Hearing that from the most powerful esper… that means a lot. Thank you."

Mob nodded. "Then I hope… I hope you'll forgive me."

I frowned. "What do you-"

Suddenly, a glowing portal opened beneath me, made of Mob's power.

"You…" I said. Rage suddenly hit me like a truck. "Dammit, you-"

The last thing I saw was Mob's smile as I disappeared into the portal.

* * *

I woke up with a start.

"Shigeo!" I exclaimed, sitting up. Reigen ran over, kneeling down.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "How's Mob?"

"He…" I trailed off. "He… he's still in there." I clenched my fists. "He forced me out."

"Is he okay?" Reigen asked, frowning.

"I don't know," I admitted. "He was fighting all these spirits…"

"He's Shigeo," Dimple said reassuringly, appearing nearby me. "He'll survive."

I hoped he was right. I stood up, staring at my brother's unconscious body. To my surprise, his eyes snapped open.

"Shigeo!" I yelled, racing over to him. I tackled him in a hug, causing him to choke up.

"Little sister," he said, lightly squeezing my shoulder.

"Mob," Reigen kneeled down beside him. "You… you were gone for a long time."

"I was," Mob agreed, shakily. "How's Asigiri-san?"

Suddenly, Mogami appeared, floating above us.

"You've made your choice," he told Shigeo. "I will be watching from afar to see if it is the right one."

He was about to fly away, but before that could happen, Matsuo caught him in a jar.

"I'll consider this to be a trophy," he said. "Thank you. See you around."

"Alright then," I commented. "Weird."

Then a new voice caught my attention.

"Kageyama-kun?" It was Minori, standing up. She blinked heavily.

"Yeah," Mob said, turning to face her.

"What?" Reigen asked. "You guys know each other?"

"They probably met in there," Dimple said. I frowned at Minori.

"Are you… always like that?" Shigeo asked Minori.

"Yeah," Minori said, patting Shigeo on the shoulder. "Sorry about that."

She walked away, but stopped dead. Tears began falling from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm really sorry!"

"It's okay," Shigeo replied. "I understand."

"Understand?" I asked.

"That people can change," Shigeo answered. "Minori and Mogami taught me that. The people around me changed as well. Now I know I might be able to change others as well. So I'm glad we were able to meet."

I nodded at my brother. He was really growing up.

I wasn't sure if I liked it.

Minori smiled at Mob through her tears. "Thank you."


	19. Poor, Lonely, Whitey

**So I guess my updating schedule has changed now lol. Also help me I ship Onigawara and Arashi? :0 Crappers**

* * *

One of the weirdest things I saw that day was Onigawara in the library, sitting in the corner… drawing what looked like manga.

"Whatcha drawing?" I asked him.

He immediately covered up his work. "I ain't drawing. What're you doing here?"

"I was gonna ask you the same question," I replied.

"I'm… doing homework," he lied.

"Yeah, that sure does look like homework," I commented.

Onigawara scowled. "Get out of here, lil' girl."

"I didn't know you were an artist."

Onigawara flushed, glowering. "I'm not. I said get lost."

"You're into manga?" I asked.

Onigawara turned away. "No."

From what I could see through Onigawara's arms, the manga he was drawing looked pretty good.

"That doesn't look too bad, y'know," I told him. "You could become a mangaka."

Onigawara's face went pink. "I…" He scowled. "Why would I wanna do that?"

"Just saying," I shrugged.

Onigawara frowned, turning his head in the opposite direction. "Go away."

I rolled my eyes and turned away. I headed towards the exit.

"How'd you figure it out?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"That I wanted to be a mangaka."

I smirked. "So you do want to be one after all?"

Onigawara clenched his fists, glaring at the ceiling. "What's it matter to you?"

I laughed. "Nothing. It's just… you really suck at the whole 'tough guy' thing."

"What'd you say?" Onigawara demanded, glaring at me.

I blew a raspberry at him. He stood up like he wanted to fight me.

"Whatever," he scoffed. "I don't have time to fight dumb girls."

"Girls that are stronger than you," I retorted.

Onigawara stood up again.

"See ya, dummy," I said, walking away.

"Get back here!" he yelled, chasing me out of the library.

* * *

After school, and Karate club, Shigeo was nowhere to be seen.

I immediately felt a rush of worry. I'd checked his club room, and he wasn't there. I raced around the school, and he was nowhere. I shivered, legs heaving. Was this going to be like the Black Vinegar situation again?

_He's probably at work_, I told myself, pacing around the school gates. Then I felt a prick of rage. _He should've told me! We're supposed to be walking home together today!_

I pulled out my phone and rang him.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Shigeo!" I shouted. "Where are you?"

"I'm at a restaurant with some friends." he replied.

"I thought you said we were meeting up after school!"

"Sorry… I meant to text you about it…"

"Which restaurant are you at?" I asked. I opened Google Maps. "I'll come to you."

Mob's voice went a bit quiet. "Um… there's really no need for you to-" He suddenly hung up.

"Shigeo!" I cursed. I tried calling him back, but he didn't respond.

"Arashi?" Ritsu approached me, raising his brow.

"Shigeo didn't tell me he was running off to be with his friends," I growled. "We were supposed to walk home together."

Ritsu shrugged. "He's allowed to hang out with his friends. He probably just forgot to text you."

"But he always texts me," I snapped, scowling. "He's been acting so distant these past few weeks. Does he even care about me anymore?!"

Ritsu made a face. "You're overreacting, Arashi. Mob's changing. He's growing up. He doesn't need you to babysit him anymore."

I scowled at him, clenching my fists. "What do you know? You haven't been around him as much as I have!"

Now Ritsu was scowling. "Hey, our relationship's been going well these past few weeks. Don't bring it back down again."

I muttered a curse word, and glared at him. "I'm gonna go and find him."

"You're so stubborn," Ritsu sighed, shaking his head. "Let Mob enjoy his time alone. You've got your own friends as well. Why don't you go and hang out with that Onigawara guy? Or your band?"

"Piss off," I snapped. I stormed off, ignoring Ritsu frowning disapprovingly. I tried to ignore the guilt.

* * *

I spent a lot of time visiting various restaurants, but couldn't find Mob anywhere. By the time I had finished visiting pretty much all the restaurants I could see, I was tired and 110% done with my brother. He wasn't answering his phone, either, which just made things so much better.

On the 50000th attempt, Shigeo finally picked up his phone.

"I'm at work," he told me.

"What?" I snapped. "I thought you were at a restaurant!"

"I was, but my master called me away for a job," he replied.

"Dude!" I groaned. "Tell me when you decide to go somewhere else! I've been looking all over for you!"

"Sorry," Shigeo said, his tone flat. "I'll see you later, Arashi."

He hung up. I groaned, heading home in defeat. He was so getting it later.

* * *

At home, I went into my room and practised playing on Kumo. As usual, Paranormal Investigation was playing another song for the end of the year - one that Josh himself had written. It was a good song, but even it couldn't distract me from my thoughts. Or my rage.

Eventually, Mob came home. He looked… more tired than usual.

"There you are!" I shouted, storming up to him. "Why didn't you tell me where you were all day?"

Shigeo sighed. "I'm tired, Arashi…"

"That's not an excuse," I growled, a small flame burning in my palms. "You've been neglecting me these past few weeks! What's wrong? Why won't you talk to me!"

Shigeo looked away. I stepped back for a moment.

_Did I do something wrong?_ I thought.

"Sister, it's just…" Shigeo stared at his hands. "I… I don't really need you to helicopter me all the time."

"Huh?" I asked.

"It's not as if I don't like having you around, it's just…" Shigeo paused again. "I've noticed that you… tend to get involved all the time. I just want some space from you."

"So that's it?" I asked, my nails digging into my palms. "You really are moving on."

Shigeo stared at his shoes.

"Fine," I snapped. "Whatever. I don't wanna hang around you either."

I stormed into my room and slammed the door shut. I face-palmed into my pillow, and for the first time in a while, I cried myself to sleep.

* * *

For the next few days, I avoided Mob like the plague. The good part was I did check off a lot of stuff on my bucket list, though:

\- Having a celebratory party with the Karate Club

\- Going out for lunch with my band

\- Hanging out with Ritsu

\- Practising psychic powers with Teru (I was almost getting there!)

\- … and as a bonus, convincing Onigawara to hang out with me after school.

\- Hang out with all of the above, at once!

Things were going well, weirdly enough. I was spending a lot more time with my other friends, and making new ones too. Even my psychic powers were getting a little bit better. I could actually levitate things without blowing something up. Safe to say, Teru was impressed (and relieved)!

I was asking myself why I'd never done this before. Bah, who needs Shigeo! I was having the time of my life!

"Cheers to us!" I yelled, holding up a drink. We were sitting in a nice diner, which served a buffet and a ton of free drinks. The rest of my band copied me by raising their drinks. Ritsu did as well. Onigawara just scowled.

"Why am I here again?" he asked.

"Because, Mr. Mangaka, it's a party," I said, nudging him.

He glowered at me. "Don't call me that!"

I swear I saw Josh slide a little under the table.

"You okay?" Miko asked him.

Josh just made a sound that reminded me of a distress cry and a whimper mixed together.

Daizō rolled his eyes, drinking his boba tea. Ritsu laughed.

"So, sister," he said. "Are you still… avoiding our brother?"

I stuck my tongue out. "Hey, he wanted me to get lost. I can deal."

Ritsu didn't look like he believed me.

"Oh yeah, the Shadow Leader," Onigawara commented. "You haven't been on his ass these past few days. What's up with that?"

I glared at him. "None of your business, pompadour."

"Hey!" he scowled. "I told you about my mangaka dream!"

"This is different," I argued. "This is family business."

Onigawara tch-ed. I balled my school skirt in my fists.

"Um, so," Miko chirped up, bless her. "Got any plans tomorrow, guys?"

As our conversation drifted elsewhere, I tried to keep smiling, but I couldn't deny the empty hole in my chest. Shigeo's presence had taken that hole. But I wasn't going to admit my mistake. I was sick of it.

It was his fault, right?

* * *

I found myself wandering around alone through the streets. An emptiness had settled into my heart, and I didn't really feel like hanging around others. Others couldn't fill that void like Shigeo had.

As I was about to enter my favourite noodle bar, I noticed someone familiar sitting in the corner, brooding: Reigen Arataka.

I frowned. What was he doing here?

"Hey," I walked up to him. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

Reigen hiccuped. He furrowed his brow when he saw me, like he forgot who I was, then gasped. "Ahh! Mob's little sister, Ariana!"

"Arashi," I corrected.

"Yes, yes," Reigen waved a hand. "I am doing work, of course! By planning my next course of action."

"By brooding in the corner of a noodle bar," I retorted. "Sure looks like you're making a lot of progress."

Reigen snorted. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You're just a kid."

"Just because I'm a kid, doesn't mean I'm dumb," I retorted.

"You really are Mob's sister," Reigen commented, shaking his head. He sipped some green tea, shakily. Part of me wondered if he was totally sober.

"Where is Mob?" I asked. "If you're 'planning your next course of action', shouldn't he be with you?"

Reigen's face darkened, then lit up again. "Ah. Well. Your brother... left the office."

I jumped. "What?"

Reigen frowned. "Didn't he tell you that?"

I shook my head. It made me remember why I was avoiding him. And why he was avoiding _me_.

"Why did he leave?" I asked.

Reigen pulled a hand through his reddish hair. "I don't know. Something or other about 'needing space'. Ha! I don't need him anyway. I can do just fine by myself."

"Whatever you say, weirdo," I snorted.

"I bet he's doing terribly without me," Reigen declared. "He probably doesn't even have a single friend!"

I laughed, bitterly. "You'd be surprised."

I walked away, my appetite gone. The emptiness kept growing and growing. I wondered if I should talk to Mob.

_No_, I told myself. _Who needs him? I'm fine just by myself._

_... aren't I? _


	20. Cornered True Identity

Things didn't seem to be going well for Reigen; it seemed every television show in the country was mocking him. He was all over the news on my phone.

"Y'know, I kinda feel bad for the guy," I told Ritsu. "I mean… I don't _like_ him, but the media is treating him like trash. Yeah, he's dug his own grave, but it's kind of their fault."

"And he's not a fraud like they're saying he is," Ritsu agreed. "You saw his powers at the Claw base."

I sighed, staring glumly at the ceiling of my bedroom. Things weren't going well for me, either. I was starting to morph into an insomniac... again. My brain just wouldn't let me sleep anymore.

"You need to talk to Shigeo," Ritsu told me, "or else, you're gonna dig your own grave."

My fists curled into balls.

"I don't need to do anything," I snapped. "If you're gonna lecture me, I'm out."

I stood up and walked away before he could say anything more. Safe to say, I felt my heart burning.

* * *

School was going terribly… yet again. My grades were starting to slip. Being president of the karate club wasn't as enjoyable. Even playing in my band wasn't as fun anymore.

I tried to tell myself to get over it, but it wasn't working. I couldn't just 'get over it'. It was like a part of me had died. It was... just like the band situation all over again, but even worse. Hearing all the Reigen news didn't make me feel any better. Hypothetically, a month ago it would've, but now I actually felt empathy for the guy. We were both feeling like garbage.

I sat alone, in my room. Miko was texting me funny cat photos, but they weren't doing anything to cheer me up. Not even talking to my band could do that.

Someone knocked on my door.

"What?" I grunted.

"It's just me," Ritsu replied.

I sighed. "Come in."

Ritsu walked in, holding up his phone.

"You're never gonna believe this," he said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Reigen's going to a press conference tomorrow," Ritsu explained. "Apparently, he'll be explaining himself."

I bit my lip. "Well, that's going to be interesting…"

My phone buzzed. I picked it up - it was a text from Teruki.

_Hey. You wanna do some training tomorrow?_

_ Why not? I've nothing better to do._

_Sure. See you then._

I put my phone down. Ritsu stared at me.

"You okay?" he asked.

I nodded, biting my lip. "Just fine."

Another lie. Everything was just a bunch of lies these days. I'd never been a fan of pretentious people, and here I was, slowly becoming one.

* * *

"And… stop!" Teruki shouted.

I held the chunk of wood in the air. It stayed completely still. The whole world felt frozen, alongside the wood. The birds weren't chirping anymore. Even the wind blowing through the trees seemed to stop.

"Bring it back down," Teruki instructed.

I began to lower it. It was going smoothly; I finally felt like I was in control. Like I had my powers down pat.

_What do you say about this, huh, Mob?_ I thought.

_Oh Mob…_

The chunk of wooden suddenly exploded into splinters.

Teruki sighed. "Well, that was slightly better than last time."

I cried out, kicking the ground. "Why can't I get it right?! Why can't I be a normal esper?!"

"Calm down," Teruki told me, grabbing my shoulder. "Your emotions are affecting your powers. Is something bothering you?"

"No," I snapped. I felt sweat dribble down my arms, like it was calling me a liar. A weight was on top of my chest.

"I have a feeling you're lying," Teruki said, raising his brow.

"I'm not lying," I argued, my arms shaking.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Teruki asked, calmly.

"NO!" I screamed. A blast of fire escaped me, landing on the grass. It exploded into a bright, roaring flame. I fell to my knees, as the fire surrounded me. The heat made my breathing increase. A tear slithered down my cheek.

"I can't do anything right," I whimpered.

Teruki waved his hand, putting out the fire. He sat down next to me.

"Is it about Shigeo?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I thought so," he sighed. "What happened between you two?"

"We got into a fight," I explained. "He said he was getting more 'independent', and told me to leave him alone. He's been changing these past few weeks. He… I don't think he needs me anymore."

Teruki shook his head. "You're his little sister, I'm sure he loves having you around. He just needs space."

"That's what everyone's been saying," I argued. "But you don't understand. We've always been together, through thick and thin. And now he's leaving me behind. I promised I'd always be with him, but if he doesn't want me around, why should I bother?"

"It's called growing up," Teruki explained. "It happens to all of us. _You'll_ grow up too. You'll move away from wanting to hang around Shigeo all the time."

I wiped another tear from my eye. "He's my big brother… the most powerful esper I know. And he's my best friend, too… I can't just…"

"Just because he's moving on, that doesn't mean he doesn't love you," Teruki soothed. "He'll always love you, and you'll always love him. But you can't keep babying him forever."

I weeped into my knees.

"It's totally normal," Teruki told me. "People change, grow up, move on. It happens to all of us."

I kept sobbing, my hands weakly clenching my shirt. A distorted laugh mixed with a cough bubbled from my throat. I couldn't believe I was being comforted by Teruki of all people. Perhaps I hadn't given him enough credit. He wasn't so bad.

"I'm sorry," I said, my tears making my voice rough.

"About what?" he asked.

"For treating you like crap," I told him. "You're not half-bad."

Teruki laughed. "You're not too bad yourself."

I smiled, and flexed my fingers. While my cheeks were still wet, I could smile a little easier.

"I should talk to him," I decided.

Teruki nodded. "Go for it. I'm sure he'll want to hear you out."

I stood up, my smile growing. It was time to find Shigeo.

* * *

...

_Shigeo raised his hand, making the water float. Tsubomi yawned into her palm, but tried to hide it._

_"Hey!" a boy shouted. "Check this out!"_

_The young boy lifted up a large rock, showing off his biceps. Tsubomi's eyes shined._

_"Wow, Yamamoto-chan, that's amazing!" she chirped._

_Shigeo felt the water lower to the ground by itself. He watched as Tsubomi ran over to the boy. He sighed, dejectedly. _

_"Big bro!" a familiar voice shouted. It was his sister, Arashi. She ran over to him, and grabbed his shoulder. "Don't be sad. They're all losers. Your powers are amazing!"_

_"You really think so?" Shigeo asked, eyes shining._

_Arashi nodded, eagerly. "Who else can lift water like you can?"_

_Shigeo gave her a rare smile. "Thank you, sister."_

_"No worries, big bro," Arashi said, giving him a hug. "To me, you're the coolest person alive! And if anyone is mean to you, I'll punch them in the face!"_

_"Maybe don't do that…" Shigeo sweat-beaded._

_Arashi laughed. She couldn't ask for a better best friend._

* * *

I got home, but Shigeo wasn't there. I sat down on the couch, next to Ritsu. The TV was showing something very interesting.

Reigen's conference was going to blow. And I mean that literally. The whole place was experiencing an earthquake. Cameras were floating around in the air. People were screaming and running around. The only one not panicking was Reigen himself. Even Ritsu had a hand over his mouth, from his spot right next to me.

"What the Hell is going on?" I asked.

Ritsu shrugged. "No idea. Never seen a conference like this before."

I clenched my fists. No way something like that could happen, unless...

I stood up. "I'm going over there, right now. I'm gonna find out what's going on."

"No way you can get there on time," Ritsu said, staring up from his spot on the couch.

My hands glowed orange. "Watch me."

And with that, I zoomed out of the house, destroying a window. Orange trailed behind me. My powers were taking me through the air, at an insanely fast rate. I could barely control them, and I was starting to hate my impulsiveness.

I almost crashed into a billion power-lines, and I may have accidentally killed a bird or two. I also had no idea where I was going. Never been a good navigator...

Eventually, I couldn't keep flying and crash-landed into the pavement. My head was spinning, and I felt like I was going to throw up. My vision kept blinking in and out.

_What the Hell was I thinking... _

"That was dangerous, little sister," a voice said, breaking through my nausea. Someone helped me stand up. "You shouldn't go flying around like that."

I almost choked on my own spit.

"Shigeo," I said, staring at my big brother. Tears fell from my eyes. "I… I'm…"

"Let's go to your favourite noodle bar," Shigeo told me. "We haven't been there for a while."

I began to sob. I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him like he was going to disappear.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered.

Shigeo hugged me back, not saying anything. We stayed like that for a few moments.

"Noodle bar," I said.

Shigeo nodded. "Let's go."


	21. Even Then, Continue Forward

"It's finally that time of year again," the teacher said. "The annual marathon is here."

A lot of groans erupted from the people around me. I had to join in. Not that I didn't like running, it was just that I didn't like being forced to run with my annoying classmates. Also, we had to run like five kilometres. Crazy...

"Not again," I grumbled.

Ritsu shrugged at me. "We don't have much of a choice."

"I'll just pretend to be sick," I replied.

"Don't try faking any sickness," the teacher warned. "I'll see right through it!"

"Dammit," I cursed.

I wondered how Mob was feeling. He'd never been the most physically active, but considering he was in the Body Improvement Club, he might actually be excited for the marathon. And if he was, maybe I could be too.

After class was finished, I went out to find my brother. I sent him a text message. He replied a little while later that he was on the roof and would meet with me soon. I wanted to go to the roof and talk to him, but… no. He was fine up there by himself. So instead, I waited nearby the music rooms.

Mob stopped by after a few minutes. He had a determined look on his face.

"Hey," I said. "What's up?"

"I was talking to Mezato," Mob told me. "She was asking about the marathon."

"Oh," I replied. I still didn't trust Mezato. But as long as she didn't try to drag my brother into something dangerous, I'd let her be. "What'd she say?"

"She wanted me to use my powers to get first place in the marathon," Mob answered. "Something about becoming leader of some religion I apparently founded."

"The Psycho Helmet cult," Dimple added, materialising beside Mob. For once, I didn't jump out of my skin. I was slowly starting to get used to him. He still got on my nerves, though. Sometimes.

"I remember that," I grunted. "You wanna become leader of it?"

Shigeo shrugged. "Seems like a lot of responsibility."

"True," I replied. "Being president of the karate team is pretty hard, and we've only got like fifteen members." Plus, I was deathly worried about him. He wasn't even an adult yet, and he was one of the most timid people I knew. I couldn't imagine him being in a role of leadership.

Mob nodded. "I want to get into the top ten for the marathon, as well."

My eyes went wide. "Seriously, Shigeo? No offence, but you're not the, uh, greatest runner in the world."

_And besides, I didn't realise you had all these goals…_ I thought. _Damn... he really is growing up. _

"I want to impress Tsubomi-chan," he declared.

I tried not to roll my eyes. "You're never gonna get over her, are you, bro?"

"He's not," Dimple shook his head at me.

I sighed. "Not to burst your bubble, bro, but there's no way you're gonna get in the top ten this year. But if you keep training, you'll get it next year for sure."

"I can't do it next year," Shigeo replied. "I've got high-school entrance exams!"

My heart tightened. That was right. Shigeo was going to high-school. The thought of that made me frown. Well, at least I'd still have Ritsu.

"Alright then," I grabbed my brother's shoulder. "You're gonna need to train like an absolute madman. I'll help you out - I wanna reach the top ten as well."

Shigeo's eyes lit up. "Really?"

I nodded. "Come on, big bro - training's a-waiting!"

* * *

To help Shigeo out, I decided to run with him to Reigen's place. He was wearing some new running shoes Onigawara gave him. I ran alongside him - he wasn't that fast, but he wasn't as panting as much as he used to in the past. He also looked more determined. Safe to say, I was proud.

"Yeah, go, Shigeo!" I cheered. "You got this, big bro!"

Shigeo breathed in, sweat pooling down his cheeks.

"Wow, he's somehow more fit than he was in the past," Dimple mused, floating alongside us.

"I hope that's your way of supporting him," I growled, "or you're gonna get exorcised."

Dimple paled. "Relax, crazy girl! I'm just making an observation!"

I sighed. "Yeah, true…" I faced my brother. "Keep it up, Shigeo!"

We eventually reached the Spirits and Such office. I gave Shigeo a round of applause.

"That was great," I told him. "You're gettin' there, bro! I'll see you later for another lap."

Shigeo panted in response. My phone buzzed; a text from Josh. He also wanted to do some 'practice laps' for the marathon. I hoped he'd be a little bit faster than my brother. Miko was coming as well; Daizō wasn't, since he really hated running. He didn't care about the marathon either, and was going to ditch. Go figure.

* * *

"Come on, Josh, hurry it up!" I yelled, running ahead of Josh. He panted heavily, sweat soaking his gym clothes. His green hair was matted in clumps, due to all the sweat.

"Need some water?" Miko asked, offering Josh a bottle of water.

"Thanks," Josh breathed in, opening the water bottle and pouring the stuff all over himself.

"Shame Daizō didn't want to come," I sighed. "He wouldn't want to miss this."

"What?" Josh asked, panting heavily. "You think he'd find this hot?"

"He'd find anything about you hot," I replied, snorting.

Miko giggled as well, covering her mouth with her hand. Suddenly, another bottle of water exploded, drenching all of us.

"Arashi!" Josh cursed.

"That wasn't me!" I argued. "I can't control water!"

Miko frowned, looking away. "I'm not an esper, so it wasn't me, either…" She stared at me. "It must've been you… you probably did it without thinking."

I scowled. "Makes sense. Maybe I can control water after all. I dunno, these powers make no sense!"

Josh reached over to pat my shoulder, but I brushed him off.

"No thanks, sweaty-hands," I replied. "You need a shower."

"True," Josh sighed, examining himself. "My mom won't let me come home looking like this."

Miko smiled, hiding her hands behind her back. "Yeah… I should get going too."

I realised Miko never really talked about her home life. Or about herself in general. She simply played her piano, brought gifts for us, and hung out in the background. I realised… she was a little weird. Distant. Even aloof at times.

"Just asking, where do you live?" I asked her. "You've never really talked about it."

"Oh, I don't live that far from the school," she replied, shrugging. "Still in Seasoning City."

"Oh, cool," I said. "You live with your folks?"

Miko paused for a moment, like it was hard to say. "Yeah, of course I do."

"Any siblings?"

Miko pulled out her phone. "I have to go now. See you."

She walked off before I could ask her anything else.

"Weird…" I commented, watching her silhouette.

"Maybe she has it rough," Josh suggested. "I… I wouldn't pry if I were you."

"I suppose," I agreed, hesitantly. Still, I couldn't help but wonder. And worry.

* * *

Shigeo was taking a break from his job at Reigen's to focus on his training. I took a break from my band and karate club to help him out. We spent a lot of time running together. Every day, he was improving. He was almost catching up to the rest of the Body Improvement Club. Well. 'Almost' is a kind of a stretch, but still.

Improvement was all that mattered!

As for me, I was pretty sure I was going to do well in the marathon. There weren't too many sporty girls, so I'd be fine. I was more worried about my brother. If he really got Tsubomi's attention and got her interested…

* * *

The day finally came at last. I was standing with the other girls, all wearing tracksuits. We were standing near the starting line, waiting for the boys to start their race. On the opposite side were the parents, including mine. Some girls were gossiping, but I was keeping an eye out for Shigeo and Ritsu. Mezato was standing next to me.

"You really think my brother has what it takes to be leader of a religious organisation?" I asked her.

Mezato clenched her camera tightly in her hands. "Of course he does. The cult depends on him!"

"He's not much of a leader, y'know," I told her.

Mezato stared at her camera. There was an awkward silence.

"Sorry for being mean to you," I told her, quickly. "But… I'm just worried about my brother."

"I know," Mezato replied. She put a hand over her heart. "You care a lot about your brother. And that's great! But I... I just want to see the Psycho Helmet cult grow."

"Who knows," I shrugged. "Maybe they will."

I waved at my parents, who I noticed were moving away.

"Where are you going?" I yelled at them.

"We're going to wait on the track for Shigeo and Ritsu," Mom replied. "See you later, Arashi!"

I nodded, watching my parents leave.

"Maybe you should go with them," Mezato told me, "keep an eye out for your brothers."

"Good idea," I said. I walked away from the other girls, following my parents. I was sort of hoping Shigeo would blow Mom and Dad away with how far he'd come. Of course I loved my parents, but they undermined Shigeo a lot. I wanted him to show them that he'd changed!

In the distance, I heard the shot-gun go off. I stood next to a tree, watching all the boys run by. I saw Ritsu, so I called out to him.

"Go Ritsu!" I yelled. "You go, bro!"

Ritsu smiled at me, before continuing his run. I saw the Body Improvement Club (minus Shigeo) right on his tail, including Onigawara.

"Yeah, manga-boy!" I shouted at him. "You got this!"

"Shut up!" Onigawara shouted back.

"Love you too!" I replied, sticking my tongue out.

Some more boys passed by before I saw another familiar face.

"Arashi!" Josh called out. His face was drenched in sweat.

"Keep running, Josh!" I cheered.

"Daizō's here!" he yelled.

"What?" I asked. "I thought he said he was ditching!"

"He's way behind me!" he replied. "Can't talk, gotta run!"

I nodded as he passed. I walked over to my parents, who were frowning.

"No sign of Shigeo," Mom said.

"He'll be here soon enough," I assured her. "He's gotten a lot stronger, y'know."

"Has he?" Dad asked.

I nodded. "Wait and see."

A while later, Daizō passed. Except he wasn't running, and was looking on his phone.

"Daizō!" I yelled. "Get off your phone! You're supposed to be running!"

Daizō ignored me. "I don't really care, to be honest."

"Why are you even here?" I asked. "I thought you were supposed to be ditching?"

"My mom made me come," he grumbled. "She thinks I don't get out enough."

I rolled my eyes. "Sucks for you."

Suddenly, a familiar face ran past. My heart jumped.

"Shigeo!" I cried.

My brother, panting heavily, was jogging towards us. His body was twitching, and there was a large gash on his knee. Blood was trickling down it.

"What happened to your leg?" Mom asked. She gasped as he ran past us. "But your built up your stamina, Shigeo! Hang in there!"

"You're amazing, Mob!" Dad added. "You got this!"

"Go Shigeo!" I yelled. "You're the Shadow Leader!"

Shigeo disappeared into the distance, bypassing Daizō, who didn't even look fazed.

"What'd I tell you?" I asked my parents. "He's gotten stronger!"

"You're right," Mom said, smiling. "I think I'll make something yummy for dinner tonight."

I grinned. Still, that gash on Mob's leg…

"I'm gonna follow him," I told my parents. "I'll see you for the girls' race."

Mom nodded. "See you later, dear."

I chased after my brother, who was actually going faster, but his form was terrible. He looked like a right mess. Definitely not a state to be running a marathon in.

Then the last thing I expected to see happened: Reigen showed up.

Reigen was wearing a tank top, and his brow was drenched in sweat. He ran alongside my brother.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Keeping an eye out for Mob," he replied. "I've been counting the runners, he's currently in 74th place."

"Whoa," I gasped. "That's crazy improvement! Last year he was in the bottom ten!"

"Still, it's nowhere near the _top _ten," Reigen said. "Even if he sprints, he won't catch up to those athletic kids."

"Doesn't look like he's gonna give up, though," Dimple added. "Look at his face."

I had to agree. Despite his huffing and puffing, Mob had never looked so determined.

Something told me it wouldn't go on forever. I was right, of course. Because Mob suddenly collapsed in front of me.

* * *

The girls' marathon was pretty uneventful.

As expected, I got into the top 10, like Ritsu had. After visiting an unconscious Mob in the infirmary, and catching up with some friends, Ritsu and I went home. There, as Mom promised, we prepared a yummy dinner.

"You're in a good mood," Dad told Mom.

"We've got to celebrate both Ritsu and Arashi reaching the top ten," Mom replied, "and Shigeo running the whole nine!"

Dad laughed, holding up his beer. "What the heck?"

The doorbell went off.

"I'll get it," I said, stretching. "I'm already standing up, anyway."

"I wonder if it's nii-san," Ritsu said.

"Koga-sensei rang and said he left school a little while ago," Mom said.

"I'm glad he just had mild anaemia." Ritsu added.

"Same," I agreed. I left the kitchen, heading to the front door to answer it. Poor Mob. Even if he hadn't come in the top ten, he still did amazing. I was really proud of him.

I opened the door, and my mouth fell open in shock.

"Heya, little sis," Sho said, leaning against the door. "Long time no see."

"What the Hell-" I cut myself off. "What are you doing here?! How'd you find this place?!"

Sho shrugged. "I said I'd be seeing you again."

"Arashi, who is it?" Mom asked, coming into the hallway. "A friend of yours?"

"Mom!" I yelled. "Don't come over here right now!"

"Your adoptive parents," Sho replied, digging his hands into his pockets. "Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Is Ritsu here, too?"

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"This might be a bit complicated…" Sho said, a dark grin on his face.

"What are you…" I trailed off, my heart thumping. I had the feeling that something very bad was going to happen.


	22. Show me what you've got band together

"We are the esper organisation known as Claw," said the man on TV. Like me and my twin brother, he had dark orange hair, and blue eyes. Unlike us, he also looked like a psychopath.

"We have taken over the airwaves with our psychic powers," he continued. "This is a mere fraction of our true power. Our powers are far superior to modern weaponry. Let me warn you that it's not advisable to oppose us. We will control the world with psychic powers, and rule over all the powerless. The first step in this mission is to demolish this country. A new world is about to begin." He smirked. "Look forward to it."

The screen glitched and faded out.

"Now you've done it, you piece-of-crap Dad!" Sho cursed, clawing at his face. "How dare you embarrass me like that again?!"

I glanced at the other guys around us, who were also part of Sho's army. There was a big dude wearing a light green sweater named Fukuda, a blonde guy with a lavender sweater named Higashio, and a dude with a red kimono and black hair covering his face called Otsuki.

Sho had become flustered. "I'm the one who's going to defeat him! You got that, Ritsu?"

"Hey!" I interrupted. "He's my dad, too! Don't I get any say in this?"

Ritsu sighed. "She has a point."

"We'll defeat him together," Sho told me, giving me a wild stare. "Dad's not gonna split us apart ever again." He turned to the other group members. "Let's go!"

"Hold on," Ritsu held up a hand.

"What?" Sho glared at him. "You're still not on board?"

"What about my family's safety?" Ritsu asked.

"_Our_ family," I corrected, smoothing out my messy black sweater. I glared at Sho. "Y'don't think I'm worried about them either? Shigeo's probably losing his mind right now!"

"They're fine," Sho said. "We have a pair of eyes set on them from afar." He showed Ritsu and I a computer screen, where our parents were standing in front of some fancy hotel. "See? We said that you guys, because you wanted to do something nice for your parents, entered a hot springs hotel lottery and won. And they totally fell for it! You were totally pushing it with that ad-lib."

Ritsu was still scowling. "That hot springs hotel doesn't have ties to some shady organisation, does it?"

"Don't worry," Sho replied. "They offer both traditional seafood and meat meals, and they're happy to accommodate any allergy, too."

Ritsu gritted his teeth. "That's not what I…"

"What about Shigeo?" I asked, glowering. "What'd you do to him?"

"Your brother's not going to fight," Sho replied, looking away. "I could tell from his eyes. He's not the type to blow up without a good reason." He gazed out the window, where he could see the city. "I think I gave him a pretty good one, though."

"What?" Ritsu asked. "Did you do something after we left the house?"

"Dude, if he did something that could've made Shigeo really mad…" I trailed off. I glared at Sho. "What the Hell did you do?!"

Sho bowed his head, smirking. "Guess you've had a hard life, too."

* * *

We headed out into the city. My father (still felt odd to call him that) was in his HQ: this big, tall building in the centre of the city. My powers were still a bit iffy, but they were better than they'd been before. I could control them... for the most part. Every now and again I exploded a microwave or two.

We were approaching one of Claw's armies, a group of artificial espers wearing red bodysuits.

I guess I must've been visibly worried, because Sho gently touched my shoulder.

"You're powerful," he told me, reassuringly. "You just have no sense of navigation."

"Gee, thanks," I grumbled.

"You'll get the hang of it," he replied. He frowned. "Ah, that reminds me of something I was supposed to tell you. Are you familiar with someone named Himiko Tanaka?"

I shook my head.

Sho kept frowning. "That doesn't sound right. I swore I saw her with you at your school."

"Never heard of anyone called Himiko Tanaka," I replied.

Sho's eyes widened, then he gritted his teeth. "Wait a second. I know what she's done. She-"

He was interrupted by a battle cry. The Claw army was racing towards us.

"Talk later, guys," Ritsu interrupted us. "They're coming."

Sho rolled his eyes. "Oh, they're no threat. Hold on." He waved his hand, sending a wave of fire. Like a bowling ball, it plowed through the army, knocking them aside. Ritsu helped out by sending out his own waves of power. Soon, all the espers were knocked out. And in less than a minute, too.

I whistled. "You guys are crazy."

"You're pretty strong," Sho told Ritsu. "You probably could've done that by yourself." He paused. "Ritsu, your latent abilities far surpass your brother's."

"My abilities?" Ritsu asked, eyes widening. "There's no way that's true."

"Life won't be any fun if you tell yourself that," Sho retorted. His face darkened. "Same goes for me. I'm more powerful than my dad… and you, Arashi…" He turned to me. "You're more powerful than him, too. You…"

He was interrupted by a sudden growth of vines. We turned to face a person with silver hair. They* were sitting on a bunch of giant fly trappers, reading a book about plants. There was something… off about them. Their aura was full of something twisted, like a rose with extra thorns.

"As I figured, you really are leading the uprising, Sho," they said. "Talk about a textbook rebellious phase."

"Their aura is really peculiar," Ritsu said. "Who is that?"

"One of the Ultimate 5, the highest echelon of Claw," Sho explained. "That's Minegishi the plant user. Get caught by their plants, and you're finished. You become plant food."

"Sounds enticing," I deadpanned.

"We'd be at a disadvantage if we fought them in a forest," said Fukuda, clenching his fist, "but too bad, this is a concrete jungle."

Higashio raised his hand. "We'll take care of him."

"Please go on ahead, leader." Otsuki agreed, holding up a steel fan.

Sho blushed. "You guys…" He turned to us. "All right, Ritsu, little sis, let's go!"

Ritsu had a shadow over his face.

"Y'really think they can handle it?" I asked him, quietly.

"Nope," he replied.

"Come on," Sho said. And we followed him to my father's building. We stood outside it, as it towered imposingly. I gritted my teeth. This really was the final battle.

"We're finally here," Sho said. He scowled. "Just you wait, Dad."

"Okay, let's go," Ritsu said, adjusting his hoodie.

"Say, Ritsu…" Sho tilted his head. "Why're you being so cooperative?"

Ritsu sighed heavily. "Because your situation wasn't completely unrelatable. There are times I'd worry about what would happen if Nii-san went berserk with his powers. And Suzuki, your father is going berserk right now."

I clenched my fists. "He's my dad, too. Biologically."

Sho gave me a look. "You'll need to be careful, Arashi. Dad wants to use your power for something. For what, I don't know. But you'll have to watch your back."

"We're the only ones who can stop him," I agreed.

"Damn right!" Sho agreed, holding up a fist. "I'll show you that I can finish this!"

A surge of power blossomed nearby. I turned, and saw a blind guy standing there. He looked calm, but something told me his nonchalance was deceiving me. He had a lot of power hidden away. He was crazy strong.

"Shimazaki," Sho murmured.

"What's his deal?" I asked.

"He's a teleporter that can read his enemy's movements," Sho explained. "First, I'll-"

"You two go on ahead," Ritsu said, clenching his fists. "I'll keep him occupied."

Sho's eyes widened. "You can't deal with him alone. He's one of the strongest in the whole organisation!"

"And that's exactly why," Ritsu said, eyes narrowed. "You two promise me you'll stop your father"

"Ritsu…" I trailed off. "I'm…" My throat felt tight, and my hands shook. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry we didn't make up for a long time."

"That doesn't matter anymore," Ritsu replied. He patted my shoulder. "I want you to promise me you'll save the world."

I glanced at my twin brother. He nodded.

"I promise," I said, my throat still tight. Sho grabbed my arm.

"Let's do this, little sis," he said.

"Right, bro." I replied. With crazy speed, we leaped into the air. I didn't dare look back, but I heard a ton of explosions and saw curling smoke.

Ritsu...

I tried not to choke on my tears. Because right now, there was something far more dangerous waiting for us.

* * *

Toichiro observed the city below him. It was his plaything, his birthright. As soon as was born, that fate was set in stone. He was finally making his move, and soon enough, the whole world would be bowing before him.

And as an added bonus, his daughter had finally returned. Naturally, she'd been corrupted by Sho and that adoptive family of hers. But he'd make her see the truth. She was a powerful esper, potentially even more powerful than him. If she wasn't on his side, who knew what she could do?

Though… she'd seemed weak with her powers. Of course. She was terrible at controlling them. What a waste. They were so strong, so dynamic, and yet they were given to someone so incompetent…

Wait. There was someone there.

"Tanaka," Toichiro said, not even turning around. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing," Tanaka replied. Her face was shrouded in shadows, naturally. She was a strange one. Toichiro knew she was intelligent, though. Powerful, too. She could hide her powers from other espers. Even he himself had trouble identifying her esper status from time to time.

"Nothing?" Toichiro asked. "Why aren't you out there, and fighting?"

Tanaka shifted beneath her robes. "I'm waiting for something."

"My son?" Toichiro asked.

"Your daughter, actually," Tanaka replied. "She's my 'friend', after all."

Toichiro straightened his back. "You're planning something, are you not?"

Tanaka hid her smirk. "You have no idea."

* * *

***Okay, about Minegishi's gender. So in the manga they're referred to as non-binary, but in the anime they are male. They are also non-binary on the wiki, so I'm going to refer to them as such. I'm not totally sure what their gender identity is, perhaps it is male, but since they are NB in the manga and on the wiki that's what I'll be using. Just wanted to say that. :) **


	23. Collision power type

I followed Sho as he ran up the flights of stairs. My chest was heaving, but I refused to stop. I lost count of all the stairs, and my vision was blurry. Sho looked frustrated too, but nowhere near giving up.

"This is it for you," a voice. Standing at the top of the stairs was a man wearing glasses. Surrounding him were some drones with camera lenses. "Such a shame. You managed to get this far. But now, you have to deal with me."

"Dad is using his powers for evil," Sho told me. He disappeared, re-appearing behind the guy. "But we're going to use our powers to show him what's right!"

He body-slammed the guy, smashing his glasses.

"Let's end this!" Sho shouted. I nodded, and continued following him. We raced up the stairs once more.

"How powerful is Dad?" I asked, forcing air down my lungs.

"He's powerful," Sho admitted. "But we'll be able to handle him. Good always prevails over evil!"

I nodded, clenching my fists. My mind trailed back to Ritsu. I hoped he was doing okay against the blind guy. And as for Shigeo…

"Come on!" Sho yelled, dragging me out of my thoughts. "We're almost there!"

I nodded. We reached a door, which led into a balcony. Sho kicked the door down, a fire burning in his eyes. The same fire in mine. He stepped in, holding out his fists. Light bled through winds surrounding the outside. Below, I could see the expanse of the city.

Ahead of us was a man that resembled the both of us. He had short, dark red hair, emotionless blue eyes, and wore a dark coloured suit with black shoes. What really stood out to me were his three-pronged eyebrows. His emotionless eyes were on me. I felt my stomach drop. This was him, Toichiro Suzuki. My real father.

The one who wanted to take over the world.

"We're here now," Sho said, stepping ahead of me. "Claw is finished!"

"Sho, there must've been a better way of doing this," he said. "We're family. And besides," he turned to me, "it's been a long time since I've seen you, Arashi. You've really grown."

"What?" Sho growled. "_Now_ you want to act like a father? You never cared about either of us."

"You should've attacked while playing the obedient son," Toichiro replied. "Instead, you dragged your sister into this and made a mess of yourself. Don't get in my way any further."

"He didn't 'drag' me into anything," I snapped, finding my voice. "I'm here because I want to be!"

"It seems you haven't changed much from back then," Toichiro said, sighing. "No worries. Perhaps I can still get through to you."

I held up my fist. "Maybe my fist can get through to _you_ first!"

Toichiro held up a hand. "Don't test me, daughter. It took me twenty years to get here. And it will take less than twenty seconds to dispose of you."

I bared my teeth. "Oh yeah? You wanna test that theory, old man?!"

"Let me join in," Sho agreed, wearing my expression. "I'm just as strong as the Ultimate 5! And together, we'll bring you down! Let's get him, sis!"

We charged towards our father, but we were blasted back by a wave of fire.

"Don't make me laugh," Toichiro said, still wearing a blank expression. "Never look down on your father."

"A stupidly powerful barrier that activates when we get too close," Sho muttered. He glared at Toichiro. "Is that your true power?"

"I'm not scared of some stupid barrier," I growled. "Come on!"

We tried to approach Toichiro from the side, but he slammed the both of us into the wall. Fire waved around us, tauntingly.

"He's mocking us," Sho cursed. Suddenly, we were both cased in a bunch of ice. We glanced at each other, wordlessly. We worked together to blow it up. Twin power!

"These techniques are mere child's play," Toichiro said. "I thought you would've grown a little more than that."

Sho grabbed my arm, and we turned invisible. Toichiro rolled his eyes, making me want to punch him in the jaw.

"Leave this to me," Sho told me. "Stay right here."

Before I could say anything, he appeared behind Toichiro, hands lit up with energy.

"This is my trump card," he declared. "Here's the energy I've saved up over three months…" He launched the energy at Toichiro. "Charge bomb!"

I covered my face with my arms as everything exploded. My ears were ringing. I looked up, and saw nothing but smoke. Then my twin brother appeared before me.

"Hell yeah!" he cheered. "Justice prevails!"

The smoke cleared. Standing there was Toichiro and a guy with an umbrella, both unharmed.

"I'm so sorry," the umbrella guy said. "I wouldn't have taken a bathroom break if I'd known this would happen."

"That's fine," Toichiro replied. "My kids are just going through a rebellious phase."

"That girl is the daughter you told me about?" the umbrella guy asked. He shook his head. "You kids will never turn into decent adults like this."

"Bold of you to say that!" I roared.

"That was three months' worth of energy," Sho agreed.

"Let's stop fighting and happily take over the world together," said umbrella guy, putting down his umbrella.

"Don't bother," Toichiro chided. "I can see why they disagree with this. The real reason I went around the world was to see if world domination was actually realistic. But ultimately, I couldn't find a stronger esper than me in this world. I have the ultimate power."

I stood up, smoothing out my shirt. The fire in me was burning.

"You know," I said. "You're really starting to piss me off."

Toichiro turned to me with mild amusement.

"I hate people like you," I continued. "Just because you have power, you think you're the boss of everyone. You think you get to do whatever you want. You think you're all high and mighty. Well, guess what, idiot. You're nothing but a bully. We're all the same. Some people are smarter than others, some people can run faster than others. That doesn't mean they're any better. Psychic powers are exactly the same. You might be powerful, but that doesn't make you a good person."

Toichiro scowled at me. "You're being redundant. You are naive."

"No, _you _are," I snapped. I turned to the umbrella guy. "I don't know who you are or what your deal is, but you should ditch this guy. He's insane."

"I'm Serizawa," the umbrella guy replied absentmindedly. His attention seemed to be on Toichiro.

I glared at my father. "You're so stupid! You think you're number one, but I know there's someone out there. I know there's someone out there who can beat you. You'll meet your match!"

"Yeah!" Sho agreed, standing beside me. "She's right!"

"Don't give yourselves false hope," Toichiro replied. "Arashi, I know you lack control over your powers. Without my guidance, you will never be able to understand those powers."

"I don't need your damn guidance," I snapped. "Go back to Hell where you belong!"

My hands lit up with fire.

"How pathetic," my father sighed. "You had so much potential. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"My ass!" I retorted. "I'm nothing like you!"

"Do you remember what Sho said about gathering energy for a few months?" he asked. "Well, you are much like him. Your power has been building up since it was locked away. Deep inside you, you have years of power stored away."

"What?!" I yelled.

"I am much the same," Toichiro said, walking towards me. "Except _I_ have been gathering it for twenty years."

"No…" Sho whispered. "Instead of gathering troops for twenty years, you've been…"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to show you some of my twenty years," Toichiro said, walking towards me. A red fire was surrounding his eyes. My heart began hammering beneath my chest. An orange glow encased my body.

The energy that had been inside me, like a predator waiting to strike… I hadn't even known. I wished I could release it and stop my dad, but…

It explained why my powers were so strange. They were lying dormant, waiting for something to unleash them. I wish I could figure how, though. Maybe I could save the world.

Before I could breathe, my body was slammed against the wall once more. I felt myself drifting in and out of consciousness. Sho was beside me, his eyes fluttering.

"Now I'm going to have to recruit more soldiers because of you and your friends," Toichiro scolded.

"Stop this already, Dad," Sho pleaded.

"You can see that they aren't much help," Toichiro continued. "Since you are my children, I'll go ahead and tell you. The project of applying stress to normal human beings to awaken any ESP they may have… it was a failure. Even if they did happen to awaken to some powers, the most they could do was produce some insignificant phenomenon."

"Then their powers…" Sho grunted. "You call that an insignificant phenomenon?"

"The powers they're using like they're going out of fashion," Toichiro said, "are my powers."

I nearly choked on my own saliva.

"I am able to share my powers with others," Toichiro continued. "At the same time, I am also able to absorb other people's powers as my own. This is my true trump card that no one knew about."

"So you gave 600 soldiers your power?" Sho asked.

"That's just a mere fraction of the energy I have accumulated," Toichiro replied. "But that doesn't make it any less vital. I'll be reclaiming my energy from those who have lost."

Streams of red appeared from the city below. They re-entered my father. His eyes turned as red as his hair.

"I finally understand…" Sho coughed, forcing himself to sit up. "Dad's not human… he's a monster made of energy!"

"Damn right," I agreed, my ribs aching in pain.

"Let this be a lesson, children," Toichiro said, his eyes glowing red. Power flowed around my body. Power strong enough to crush me in an instant. "Only one absolute being can be the true protagonist of this world."

"And it won't be you," a new voice said.

Suddenly, before I could blink, a familiar figure cloaked in darkness appeared. They knocked Toichiro onto his knees with ease.

"What the Hell…" Sho's mouth fell open. "It can't be-"

"Tanaka," Toichiro growled, glaring at the figure. They were standing there, darkness clinging onto their cloak. Long, silky black hair flowed out behind them.

"You really are an idiot," they said, with a feminine voice. A _familiar _voice. "You don't know anything about this world."

They proceeded to use some strange, messed up power to slam my father into the ground. It was so forceful the ground split apart. I jumped back, avoiding a bit of debris falling on my head.

"No way," Sho breathed. "I didn't realise she'd become..."

"That voice," I said. I gazed at the figure. "Who are you?"

The figure turned towards me, and smiled sweetly. "Aww, Arashi, you don't recognise one of your own friends?"

She removed her hood. My heart almost stopped.

It was Miko.


	24. Himiko's revenge, part 1

I stared at my friend, eyes wide. "M… Miko?!"

She smiled at me. "It's Himiko Tanaka, actually."

Her long, black hair was swirling around her like tendrils. It blended in with her black cloak. Her grey eyes glimmered, making my skin crawl.

"What…" I spluttered. "What _are_ you?"

"I'm an esper, obviously," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Thankfully, you're not a smart one so I managed to hide myself among the general population quite easily."

"You work for Claw," I breathed out.

Himiko shrugged. "_Worked_ for Claw. I never really cared about this organisation. I only joined because I wanted more power. But I've got it now, so I don't need it anymore."

"What are you talking about?!" I demanded.

"That idiot father of yours wanted to take over the world, didn't he?" Himiko asked. "Well, I want to _destroy_ it."

"What?!" I roared. "Why?!"

Himiko smirked. "That doesn't matter. You're going to die anyway."

"No," Sho growled, standing up. He stood beside me. "_You_ are, Tanaka."

Himiko sighed, like Sho was a mosquito in her face. "Oh, you're still around. Great."

She waved a hand, sending some tentacles after him. Sho leaped out of the way at lightspeed. However, before he got the chance to attack her again, more tendrils emerged from the ground. They wrapped around him, encasing him in a cage.

"Let him go!" I demanded.

"Hmm," Himiko tilted her head. "No."

"You…" My hands went red. I held them up in the air, but no energy came out. The Paranormal Investigation writstband glowed.

"What the…" I muttered. Himiko's eyes glowed as well, and her smirk grew.

"Too easy," she cackled. "Your powers are mine now."

"What do you mean?!" I asked.

Himiko kept smirking. "Why do you think I made those wristbands? Why do you think I joined your stupid band? You are an esper. So are your brothers. Unlike Toichiro, I cannot simply _steal _energy. But I made a device that could."

"You mean…" I stared at the wristband.

"That's right," Himiko's smile became a maniac's. "All your powers are mine. All those years of precious energy, mine! But not just yours. Your brothers', too."

"No," I breathed.

"But I've said enough already," Himiko waved her hand. "Time for you to go."

I felt myself being lifted off the ground. My body floated towards the smashed window.

"Put me down!" I screamed.

"Goodbye, Arashi," Himiko said, waving. "By the way, you weren't that good of a guitar player."

And then I plummeted towards the ground, wind rushing through my ears. Everything was happening all at once. I wanted to scream, but air clogged my throat. I waved my arms around hopelessly. This was it. I'd failed. I'd lost to someone who I thought was my friend.

The battle was over.

Suddenly I stopped in mid-air. I felt myself being gently lowered to the ground.

"What the…" I trailed off. I saw that Serizawa guy on the ground, holding out his hand. His other was holding his umbrella.

"Are you okay, Miss?" he asked, as he put me down.

"You…" I stared at him. "You saved me."

"Well, I couldn't let you die," Serizawa exclaimed. "That would be mean!"

"Himiko Tanaka," I said.

"Huh?" Serizawa asked. He smiled. "Oh, you mean Tanaka? What about her?"

"She's going to destroy the world," I whispered.

"What?" Serizawa asked, tilting his head.

"I…" I clenched my fists. "I have to get back up there! She was able to knock down my father!"

"Wait…" Serizawa went pale. "Tanaka was able to take out the President?"

"She's going to do much worse," I said. "She's taken away my psychic powers, as well as my brothers'."

Serizawa fumbled with his umbrella. "Seriously? She was always so nice! I can't believe she'd be a traitor!"

"Me neither," I sighed. "We need to-"

I was interrupted by the Earth shaking. I turned and faced the building, which now had cracks running up it. The sky was swirling, like a storm was coming. Blood-red clouds covered it, reminding me of the time I fought Keiji. The air had an awful chill. My heart pounded in my chest.

"It's already happening," I breathed.

"President!" Serizawa cried.

Sho suddenly appeared before me. His face was covered in scratches, and blood was dripping down his shirt. Toichiro was in the background as well, clutching his stomach. Serizawa ran over to support his boss.

"Sho!" I shouted, facing my brother.

"She's gotten too powerful," Sho said, collapsing into my arms. "She took my powers too."

"Oh, God…" I whispered. "Where is she now?"

My question was answered when I saw a figure up in the sky. A distorted, glitching being, radiating blood-red power. The wind howled.

"I wasn't expecting this to happen," Toichiro cursed, staring at us. "Truthfully, I had always had my suspicions about her. But even I did not realise she'd become this powerful."

I glowered. "You're supposed to be powerful, right? Couldn't you sense her powers or something?"

"She has the ability to mask her powers," Toichiro explained. "So other espers cannot detect her. This includes me."

Now I understood. That's why I'd never been able to sense her powers!

"She was the one who was stalking me that day," I said, with realisation. "While I was training with Teru…"

"Arashi!" a voice yelled. I turned around, and saw Teru, Ritsu, Reigen, and the people we'd met in Claw when we broke into their base all that time ago. As well as them were the Awakening Lab kids, and Minegishi.

"What are you all doing here?" I asked.

"We saw what happened here," Ritsu said. "And…" he trailed off. "Sho?"

"Boss…?" Minegishi asked, going pale. "What happened to you?"

"Himiko Tanaka," Toichiro coughed. "She betrayed Claw."

Minegishi scowled, clenching their fists. "I knew there was something off about her."

"Ritsu!" I shouted. "Are you wearing that Paranormal Investigation wristband? Take it off!"

Ritsu frowned. "Huh? Why?"

"Do it!" I insisted. Ritsu pulled down his sleeve, revealing the wristband. He attempted to remove it, but it stubbornly stayed on like it was attached with superglue.

"What the…" Ritsu glared at it. "Why won't it come off?"

I tried to remove mine, but I had no success either.

"Did you put superglue on it?" Reigen asked.

I glowered at him. "No, idiot. She probably used some kind of power to make it stay there."

"What are you talking about...?" Ritsu asked.

I explained the whole Himiko situation. A lot of people were surprised.

Reigen sighed, shaking his head. "She's just a misguided kid. Maybe I can talk to her."

"She is not just a 'misguided kid'," Toichiro argued. "She is an incredibly dangerous esper. Even _I_ lost to her."

"Where's Shigeo?" I asked. I turned to Ritsu. "Do you know where Shigeo is?"

Ritsu bit his lip. "He was with us before. He was ultimately the one that defeated Shizamaki. Then he saw everything going on in the tower and went to deal with it by himself."

"No…" I breathed. "He was wearing that stupid wristband as well! Himiko will kill him!"

Something floated towards us. It looked like a green piece of paper. I realised with horror it was Dimple.

Reigen caught the spirit in his hand. "Dimple? What happened to you?"

"That crazy girl…" he muttered. "Never seen anyone so strong…"

"What about Shigeo?" I asked.

Dimple's voice drained off. "Too much… energy… danger…"

Now I was mad. Did Himiko think she could hurt my brother? It was one thing to betray this stupid organisation. It was another to attempt to destroy the world. It was even worse that she'd tried to kill me and Sho.

But she hurt Shigeo. Shigeo was in danger.

"That bitch," I cursed. "She's going to pay."

"How are we going to defeat her?" Sho asked. "She's way too powerful for me, and she's taken your powers away."

I clenched my fists. "I'm going to find her first."

"No way," Ritsu said, grabbing my shoulder.

"He is right," Toichiro agreed, limping over to me. Serizawa kept him steady. "She will kill you instantly."

"Too bad," I growled. "She's not going to hurt my brother!"

"You have no powers," the woman from Claw, Tsuchiya, pointed out. Several other members nodded in agreement.

I grinned. "Well, that's where I have an advantage. For most of my life, I was powerless. Trust me, I know how to get around without them."

I stormed through the crowd of people, staring at the blood-red sky. In the distance, buildings had been destroyed. My hands turned to fists. She was going to pay. Not just for Shigeo, but for the entire world.

"Himiko Tanaka!" I cried out, holding out a hand. "Get down here and face me!"

The sky rumbled. The ground trembled.

"I know you're up there, you damn coward!" I roared. "Show yourself!"

"Arashi!" Sho exclaimed, running to my side. Ritsu manned my other.

The ground cracked beneath me. My glare became harsh. She was coming.

"So you're still alive?" a voice boomed. "You are really are stubborn, aren't you?"

She was there. She was floating above the ground, her black cloak blending in her with her hair. Her eyes went red.

"Pathetic," she sighed. She raised a hand. "Time to dispose of you."

Then the worse case scenario happened.

Shigeo appeared in front of me. "You won't hurt anymore people."

"Big bro!" I shouted.

"For adoptive siblings, you have so much in common," Himiko teased. "For example, being downright stupid."

Her eyes glowed red, aiming her power at us.

"Do you have your powers?" I asked Shigeo.

"No," Shigeo responded. "But you don't always need to rely on them."

"Right," I agreed.

"Nii-san!" Ritsu shouted. "Arashi! Move!"

We did as he ordered, jumping out of the way of a blast of dark energy. I yelled out, approaching Himiko on her side. I held out a fist. She turned to me with a sadistic smile and caught my fist in her hand.

"How sad," she sighed, shaking her head. "You're all the same."

She roughly tossed me aside, like I was a rag-doll. My whole body felt like it was going to snap like a twig.

"Arashi!" Shigeo said, his voice full of worry.

"Now for you, Kageyama," Himiko grinned at Shigeo. "Nothing to save you now!"

"How about us?" Sho asked, stepping forward. Teru was behind him. Himiko rolled her eyes, and waved a hand. The boys were thrown apart.

"No more distractions," she growled. She glared down at Shigeo. "Time for you to die."

"Shigeo!" I screamed.

Himiko raised her arms. Shigeo tried to move, but he was trapped. Himiko prepared to destroy him in one move.

"NO!" I roared. Just as she unleashed her energy, I stood in front of him.

Everything went white.


	25. Himiko's revenge, part 2

I lost track of reality.

Part of me wondered if I was dead for real this time. Everything around me was white, empty, never-ending…

There was nothing here but me. But even then, I was empty too.

Then I felt something. Heard something. A voice in the distance.

"Shigeo?" I asked, my voice cracking.

A sound. Then a distorted figure was walking towards me. Its face cleared, and some of the distortion evaporated. I gasped.

"Mom...?" I asked.

My biological mother. I remembered her from my memories. She smiled at me, blue eyes twinkling. A dress flowed around her, constantly changing colours. She had silky black hair.

"You have the power," she told me, smiling. "Remember how to use it."

"Shigeo…" I whispered. My heart hammered in my chest. The memories came all at once: Himiko, Ritsu, Sho, Claw… they were all in danger. No. The entire planet was in danger, thanks to Himiko.

I couldn't let Himiko hurt them. I _refused_ to let her hurt them.

A raging fire formed around me. I clenched my fists, and bit my lip. It was finally time. My true power would be unleashed at last.

"Don't worry," I yelled. "I'm coming!"

The whole world exploded around me.

* * *

Fire is a force of nature. A storm is a force of nature.

A storm could do a lot of terrible things. It had the power to tear down buildings, rip up streets, kill innocent people and animals. But it also brought rain, _water_, an aspect that was essential to _live_.

Himiko Tanaka had never liked storms. Even as a child, whenever thunder had boomed outside, she'd hide under her bed, waiting for the storm to pass.

She didn't like fire, either. Too hot, too bright. She wasn't an adventurous person at all. When it came to nature, she preferred to stay in the dark, hidden away. Cowardly, yes, but she didn't care. She'd prefer to be safe than sorry.

Of course, that all changed when she realised what the world really was: pointless. Nothing. A waste of space.

It had all started when her parents had been killed by espers. Her older brother, as well. She was completely alone. After that, she became numb, cold, and empty. Nothing mattered to her anymore. She'd been adopted by countless foster parents and other families, but she never felt satisfied. She just felt empty. Lost. Heartbroken.

Nothing mattered. No one mattered.

Tired of being tossed back and forth between various people, Himiko ran away. She wanted to feel again. She wanted it all to go back to normal, but no matter what she did, the result was all the same. Nothing worked. No one helped. Everything she did was fruitless, pointless, worthless.

There was no point anymore. This world was nothing to her. It had given her a bad card in the game, and now, her life had been taken. She had no life. She had nothing.

Years passed. Time moved on. Himiko did not. Nothing changed for her. Even when she became an adult, an elderly woman, it was all still the same. She couldn't even feel angry towards espers, despite what they'd done to her family.

Then she heard about an esper organisation called Claw. Since she had nothing better to do, she investigated them. She learned they wanted world domination.

World domination… Himiko mused the idea.

_I don't want to control the world_, she thought. _I want… I want to exact my revenge on it. After all, it's never been kind to me. Why should I be kind to it back?_

_But to chastise the whole world, I'll need immense power. I'll need to become even more powerful than Claw._

_Power…._

"Hey, you old turd!" a man, an esper, yelled at her, ruining her train of thought. "Get off my lawn!"

Himiko gritted her teeth. Suddenly, the woman's hands began to glow black energy. She stood up, eyeing them in wonder. Out of nowhere, she aimed the power at the man. He screamed, twirling green power escaping his body. Himiko tried to grab it, but it went through her fingers like sand. She scowled. She had to find a way to catch the power, like it was her prey. She looked around, and saw a net on the man's lawn. With her power mixed with the net's, she was able to catch the green energy. It flowed into her body.

Himiko smiled for the first time in twenty years. _This is it. Power. _

* * *

Himiko went hunting for espers for the next few years. She was getting older, but she found an esper with the ability to change their age. She tricked the esper into giving her their power. She turned herself into a young woman once more. As long as she had this power, she'd never have to worry about death.

Her power caught the attention of Toichiro Suzuki, who offered her a place in his organisation, Claw.

"I'll give you a special role, Tanaka," he told her. "Your power is different from the others'."

Himiko accepted his offer, and became a valued member of Claw. Almost no ordinary esper could stand against her, and it gave her a chance to become even stronger.

Soon, Himiko located a powerful esper at some middle school. His name was Shigeo Kageyama. As a bonus, he had two younger siblings who also happened to be espers. Himiko changed her appearance to that of a 14-year-old girl and enrolled in the school. She easily be-friended one of Shigeo's siblings, a girl named Arashi Kageyama. Apparently, Arashi was not biologically related to Shigeo and his brother. Instead, she was the estranged daughter of Toichiro Suzuki, who had been adopted by the Kageyama family.

Himiko smirked. This made things very interesting. She'd met Sho Suzuki, her twin brother, and he too was quite promising. The more the merrier.

Himiko had been around for a long time. She knew how to get around to people, quite easily.

Himiko made wristbands that were capable of stealing esper power. Of course, with Arashi being her friend, she fell right into her trap, and so did her ridiculous brothers. Now she had all the power she needed. Toichiro didn't have a chance. She'd been around a lot longer than he had, after all. Compared to her, he was an amateur.

Himiko no longer feared natural disasters. For _she_ now was the ultimate natural disaster. And she could finally rid of the world that had caused her so much pain. After all, humans were going to destroy it anyway. She was only speeding up the process.

"This is the end," she declared, gazing at a slack Arashi. "You lost your chance against me!"

"I always knew there was something about you," Toichiro grunted. "You're insane."

"You're no better than me," she replied, tapping her hand. "Yet, you never had a chance against me. I've been on this planet far longer than you have."

"What do you mean by that?!" Sho demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Himiko sighed. She raised her hands. "Time to say goodbye, idiots."

Then she felt something. Something… from Arashi. Some kind of power. Power she couldn't even…

"Sister…?" Shigeo gazed at the red-haired girl.

"No," Himiko breathed. "Impossible!"

Arashi suddenly stood up, eyes glowing orange.

"Heh," she put her hands in her pockets. "You almost had me there, Miko."

"How are you still alive?!" Himiko demanded.

Arashi grinned, and winked at her. "You made a very stupid mistake."

"Begone!" Himiko roared, aiming a blast of power at Arashi. But the girl just brushed it away like it was nothing.

"Aren't you gonna ask what you did wrong?" Arashi asked. She shrugged. "Y'know what, don't, actually. Your voice just pisses me off."

"What's happening?" Himiko raged. "Where did you get this power from?!"

"You messed with my brothers," Arashi growled. "_No one_ messes with my brothers."

And then Arashi changed. She jumped towards Himiko, unleashing a blast of fiery-hot energy. Himiko cried out, as it forced her backwards. The black-haired girl sat up, and stared at Arashi in surprise.

Arashi was glowing orange. Her eyes were mini sockets of fire. Out of her back stretched two wings made of flames.

"What the Hell…" Himiko's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "What happened to you?!"

"You said you've been around longer than my dad, right?" Arashi asked. She raised a flaming fist. "Shouldn't you know what happened to me?"

Arashi's fist connected with Himiko's stomach. Himiko went flying. She bared her teeth, zooming back towards Arashi. The red-haired girl formed a powerful shield around herself.

"You don't know me very well at all," Arashi informed her. "Also, you're an idiot."

Himiko cried out with pure rage. The fiery angel that was Arashi yelled out as well, and they clashed in the middle of the sky. Orange and blacked mixed with each other, blasting through the red sky. Clouds disappeared with the smoke.

"I can't believe it…" Ritsu trailed off.

Toichiro smiled. "That was the power I wanted to unleash. Yet it was this boy that found it, rather than me."

He turned to Shigeo, who was staring up at his sister.

Shigeo wiped his eyes. "I guess I really did make a difference."

"Damn you, Kageyama!" Himiko roared, avoiding a blow from Arashi. "You don't know how hard I've worked for this!"

Arashi gritted her teeth. "You actually think I'm gonna let you destroy the world?! How selfish are you?! You're going to be killing billions of people!"

"I don't care," Himiko snapped. "All these people are worthless. Everything in this world is worthless, Arashi. None of them mean anything to me."

"To _you_," Arashi argued. "It's not all about you, Himiko! This world belongs to everybody! Think of all the people that live here!"

Himiko cackled. "We're destroying our own planet, Arashi. Who cares? I'm just getting there first!"

Arashi shook her head. "You've gotta give the world a chance!"

"Trust me," Himiko's eyes flashed. "I already did."

Himiko raised her arms, slamming Arashi into the ground. As Arashi began to sit up, Himiko blasted her down again. Arashi went still again. The dark-haired girl materialised beside her. Arashi's whole body convulsed.

"I knew it," Himiko sighed. "In the end, I was always going to gain the upper hand. I've been around far longer than you know, Arashi. You may have strength, but that's all you have. I have strength, wisdom, and so much more."

"The only thing you have is a stick up your ass," Arashi coughed.

"Mock me all you want," Himiko replied. "You put on a nice little show, but the curtains are closing. We're finished here."

"That's what you think," Arashi growled. The fiery wings re-appeared on her back, and she flew into the sky, faster than a bullet. She disappeared with a flash.

"Running away?" Himiko taunted. "I thought you were supposed to be the courageous one!"

The sky began to turn orange. Something that sounded like thunder boomed, shaking the Earth.

"There's a storm coming…" Rei said, clinging onto Ritsu.

"Not an ordinary storm…" Toichiro said, gazing up at the sky. "Arashi's true power."

Himiko felt the ground split beneath her. She tensed up her entire body.

"Arashi?" she called. "Are you hiding from me? Come out and play!"

The storm began to grow thicker. Clouds appeared. Lightning split through the clouds like a snake.

Then it began to rain fire on Himiko. Long, burning streaks of fire surrounded the madwoman. So much so that she couldn't even be seen anymore.

"Idiot!" Himiko roared, forming a dark shield around herself. "You can't hurt me!"

But the fire grew more and more intense. Himiko fell to her knees, and let out a scream.

"Firestorm," Shigeo breathed.

The fire blazed on. Himiko forced herself to stand, and pushed her dark power back. It mixed with the fire. She tried not to choke. It was starting to get overwhelming.

"Come on, sister," Shigeo said. "You can do this."

Sho clenched his fists. "Go Arashi!"

"You don't understand!" Himiko bellowed. "You don't understand this emptiness! You're all so stupid!"

"You're the stupid one," Arashi's voice boomed. Himiko began to cry, as bright fire enveloped her in a catacomb.

"Damn you to Hell!" she roared. She teleported herself behind Arashi, who was truly a fire angel. Himiko bashed Arashi out of the sky. The girl, however, immediately got back up and dueled Himiko once more. Her eyes glowed brightly, while Himiko's were fluttering open and close.

"No more of this!" Himiko screeched. "I'm sick of this! I won't let you stop the punishment, Kageyama!"

Arashi glowered at her. She formed a burning ball of fire in her hands. Himiko, meanwhile, gathered all the dark energy she could.

"This world is dead!" she screamed.

"Not unless I can help it!" Arashi retorted.

"They're going all out!" Sho shouted. "Take cover!"

The group behind him scrambled and hid. Shigeo kept his eye on his sister, the girl that had been alongside him all this time. Even if she had been annoying at times, he still loved her with all his heart. He'd feel like he failed as a brother if she were to die here.

But something told him she'd pull through. She always did.

"Nii-san," Ritsu grabbed his arm. "Come on!"

Shigeo followed his brother and glanced back at his sister one more time.

Arashi, the storm.

Arashi faced her old friend, fire raging around her. She charged towards her, prepared to face the consequences. In the end, no one could escape their punishment. But not everyone deserves to be punished.

"And everyone deserves another chance," Arashi muttered, out-loud.

Himiko zoomed towards Arashi. She would not let the stupid girl hold her back. The world would be chastised, no matter what.

They collided in the sky, one more time.

"This is it!" Himiko screamed. "Die!"

"No," Arashi argued. "I'm going to save you and the world! Don't you understand, Himiko? There are people who love you out there! This is for them!"

"I can't feel love!" Himiko roared. "And there is nobody out there! They're all dead! Nothing matters to me, Arashi!"

"Then I'll show you," Arashi replied.

She wrapped her arms around Himiko's body, enveloping her in a tight hug. Himiko choked on her own saliva.

"Not everything has to be solved with violence," Arashi sighed. "Shigeo taught me that much."

And then everything exploded.


	26. The End (Season 2)

I suppose I should start from the beginning.

Once upon a time, there was this girl named Himiko Tanaka. She used to be an ordinary person, but everything changed after her parents died. She lost her emotions. She couldn't feel a thing, just emptiness.

She spent most of her life feeling empty, until she discovered psychic powers. Then everything changed for her, but not in a good way. She became twisted and warped, and resentful. She thought the only way she could feel again was by 'punishing' the world, for what it did to her.

But if there's something I've learned about life, it's that no matter how strong you are, there's always someone out there that'll give you a run for your money. In Himiko's case, that person was me.

Our fight went on for a while. After a large explosion, it seemed like the end had come at last. But that wasn't the case. I managed to pull myself up and find Himiko. She was surrounded by pieces of debris.

She looked dead, but her eyes flickered. She stared at me, coughing.

"Why…?" she whispered, her voice failing her.

"Because this world deserves a chance," I told her.

She laughed. "You're… a funny one, Arashi."

"It's not all about you," I reminded her.

She smiled, sadly. "I know that much… oh, damn you…"

Her eyes closed again. She was still breathing, but I still couldn't help but feel a hole in my heart. I suppose that was what Himiko felt when she lost her family. I'd lost her friendship, that was for sure. And despite how horrible she was, she was still a person.

"Arashi!"

I turned around, and saw Shigeo. I held out my arms, giving my big brother a hug. He was followed by Sho and Ritsu, and then Reigen.

"That," Reigen commented, "was bizarre."

I found myself laughing of all things. "You said it."

"I didn't realise you were so powerful," Ritsu told me.

"Me neither," I shrugged. "I probably won't be able to do that again, though."

Sho patted me on the back. "Three cheers for Arashi!"

I grinned at him, then at all the other people standing there. I'd actually done it. I'd saved the world.

I could call myself a hero.

* * *

Everything seemed to go back to normal after that. Sure, Seasoning City had sustained a lot of damage, but nothing a few psychic powers can't fix. There was this ginormous broccoli tree growing in the city, something to do with the Psycho Helmet Cult. It was pretty weird, and I had my suspicions about it.

My father had been arrested and taken into custody, and the Awakening Lab kids had dispersed. I was still doing power training with Teruki, though.

Reigen had got a new office, since his old one had burned down. Serizawa was now working under him, so good for him. The other Scar members were moving on with their lives. I was still president of the Karate Club, but with all the drama happening, it was getting harder to manage. I wanted to re-institute Onigawara, but he wasn't interested, so I made another student my vice president and had her lead the club for the majority of the time.

As well as that, it was getting closer to the end of the year, and I was packed. First of all, my band's performance.

Himiko was in hospital, so Paranormal Investigation was back to me and the two boys. We ended up having to change the whole song due to Himiko no longer being part of the band. Her absence put a hole in all of our hearts, but we pushed onwards.

We rehearsed in an eerie silence, aside from Josh's singing. No one knew what to say to each other. All we knew was that the show must go on.

Josh finished the last lyric of the song and put his mic down. Someone started clapping.

"Nice job," my twin brother, Sho, walked in. "You guys sound great."

"Thanks," Josh smiled weakly at him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. "This is school grounds."

"I know," Sho said. "I've got some news for you. First of all, Himiko mysteriously disappeared from hospital."

"What?!" I exclaimed.

Sho shrugged. "No one knows what happened there. We've been out looking for her. That aside, there's something I wanted to talk to you about, sister."

"Oh?" I asked.

"It's kind of a personal matter, so…" Sho trailed off.

I nodded at Josh and Daizō. I walked out of the room, following Sho.

"What's up?" I asked.

Sho dipped his head. "I… got in contact with Mom. Our mom. She… she said she wants to meet with you."

I gasped. "Seriously?"

Sho nodded. "She said she's got something she wants to give you."

"Oh, God, I…" I trailed off. "When can I meet her?"

"Soon," Sho answered. "We'll make a time."

I couldn't help but smile. I was meeting my real mother, after all this time. Of course I still loved my adoptive mother, but…

"Can't wait," I said.

* * *

The day that I reunited with my mother finally came.

It was only a short train ride away. I couldn't stop my heart from pounding the whole way there. My fingers were sweating, too. I hadn't seen my mother for a long time. What if I didn't like her? What if she didn't like me?

Finally, I got off the train, and walked through the train station. I headed to a little cafe at the end of a peaceful street. I gazed up at some cherry blossom trees, my heart still pounding. I took a deep breath. _It'll be okay. It'll be okay. _

I arrived at the cafe, and waited. I knew what my mother looked like, but I couldn't see her anywhere. I sighed, leaning into a chair. The more I thought about it, the more nervous I-

"Arashi?"

I turned around. A tall woman was standing there. She had long, silky black hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a colourful dress and a large sunhat.

She was the woman I'd seen in my vision, but she wasn't distorted this time. She was a clear image.

"Mom…?" I asked. I choked up.

I gave my mother an awkward hug, which she returned tearfully. Suddenly I was a four year old again, crying like a baby. She drew circles on my back, and I could hear her breathing heavily.

"My baby," she whispered.

"Mom…" I trailed off. I let go of her. "I…"

"Oh, Arashi…" she smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You've grown so much."

"You too," I blurted out. I turned red. "Oh, uh…"

My mother laughed. "Don't worry about it, dear. I'm just glad to see you again. I'm so thankful you've been living with a happy family all these years. I'm… sure you see your adoptive mother as your mother rather than me…"

"Yes, I do," I agreed, "but you're my mom too."

My mother kept smiling. "Sho told me all about you. I've heard about what your redundant father has been up to." She shook her head. "You are all just children. That man sickens me."

"He's in jail now," I told her.

She blinked heavily. "I know, dear."

There was a silence.

"Hey, um…" I felt weird calling her 'Mom', after my mother had been someone else for a long time. "Sho said you wanted to give me something."

My mother gasped. "Oh, that's right!" She dug into her handbag, and pulled out a flyer. She handed me the flyer.

"Huh?" I asked. I read over the flyer, and gasped. "Whoa… no way!"

It was a flyer for a private music academy in Tokyo. I'd heard of it before; it was one of the best places for musicians in the entire country, if not the entire world. I'd always wanted to go there, but the tuition price was insane. Plus, it'd mean I'd have to leave my family behind.

"A little birdie told me you're quite the muso," my mother winked. "And your birthday is coming up in December, isn't it? I was thinking for a Christmas gift…"

"No way…" I breathed. "You aren't gonna-"

"Of course," my mother smiled. "For you, my dear. A chance to let your inner muso shine!"

I thought I was going to cry. "But the prices! They're insane!"

"Don't worry about it," my mother said. "You're too young to worry about money, dear. Let me handle it."

I wanted to cry and hug her again, but another feeling clouded my thoughts: guilt. Shigeo and Ritsu. If I went to the academy, I'd have to leave them behind. I'd have to leave everything in Seasoning City behind, including my band.

"I…" I trailed off. "I don't know if I want to, I mean… it's a great opportunity, but my family…"

My mother nodded. "I understand, dear. If you don't want to go to the academy you don't have to. I'll only send you if you truly want to go."

"I _do _want to go," I grumbled, "but at the same time, I don't."

My mother squeezed my shoulder. "I'll give you some time to think about it."

Why couldn't I have both? Now I really wanted to cry.

* * *

I walked through Seasoning City, gazing up at the giant broccoli. People were taking selfies with it. Others were bowing down and cheering. God, that thing was weird. I had a feeling Shigeo had something to do with it. I walked in the opposite direction, headed to my favourite noodle bar. I needed to clear my thoughts.

I got to the noodle bar, and ordered some ramen. I sat in the corner, my thoughts drifting all over the place. I didn't even notice when another person walked up to me.

"Hey."

I jumped, and almost choked on my ramen. It was Himiko, wearing a black hoodie.

"What the Hell?!" I shouted. "You-"

"Shush," Himiko used a finger to cover my lips. "I know, I've got a lot of explaining to do. But I'm not here to kill you or anything. I'm done with that." She sighed. "I want to 'turn a new page', as they say. I want to start my life again."

I glared at her.

"I'm unforgivable, I know," she grunted. She took off her hood, revealing she'd shaved half of her head. Her remaining hair was tied back into a ponytail.

"What are you trying to be?" I asked, scowling. "A punk-rocker?"

She sighed. "Look, new life, new page, whatever. I'm changing myself."

"You should be in jail," I told her.

"Being alive is punishment enough," she responded. "I'll die, eventually. Until then, I'm going to keep living. I'm done with hurting people, if you're wondering. This time, I'll be helping people."

"Seriously?" I asked.

She smiled. "You'll see, Kageyama."

Then she disappeared. I was at a loss for words.

I sighed. Looks like I wasn't out of the woods after all. But hey, that was life. And that was how I liked it.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys, some news. So I'm going to be putting this story on hiatus for a little while. I've got other stuff to work on and it's getting harder to focus on this story. It's not discontinued, I'm just putting it on hold for a bit. Not sure how long, but I will get back to this story eventually. :)**

**Thanks for reading. **


	27. The Youkai Busters

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back updating this story! Thank you for being patient with me. :D I hope you're ready for what I have in store! The story will now be following the manga, so spoilers if you haven't read it. When will season 3 come out? Will there even be a season 3? I hope so... lol**

**Anyway, that's all for now, happy reading! **

* * *

Thinking about the future was kind of daunting now that I'd been offered to go to this fancy music school.

I hadn't told anyone about it - it was something I was keeping pretty close to heart. I didn't want to think about leaving. If I did, I'm pretty sure I'd start crying on the spot. But at the same time, being a professional guitar player and getting to play in a professional band…

"What's the matter with you two?" Mom asked. "You haven't touched your chopsticks. Do you dislike fish of all a sudden?"

It was dinner, and naturally, the only thing on my mind was that music school. And the future, of course. I had to come up with some kind of career I wanted to follow in the future. It was for a school project. I didn't want to think about it, but school wasn't giving me a choice. Thanks for helping my mood, school.

"I must come up with a future prospect next week," Shigeo explained. "I'm kind out of options here."

"Me too," I admitted. "I guess doing music would be okay."

"You're still young," Dad told us. "Ten years until college graduation! You've got plenty of time to figure something out. If you don't know, just write salary man - or woman."

Of course, I didn't have ten years to decide whether or not I wanted to attend music school. I only had until my birthday, which was slowly creeping up on me.

"Salary woman sounds kinda lame," I commented. "Besides, I don't even know if I'm gonna go to college or not."

"Then just put down musician, sister," Ritsu said. "You're pretty much one already!"

I sighed. "I guess I will." I turned to Shigeo. "I think you'd make for a good psychic, like Reigen."

Mob shrugged. "I'm not sure if I want to do something related to my powers."

"Just a suggestion," I said, shrugging. "I mean, it's up to you."

* * *

"So, what do you guys want to be in the future?"

Josh furrowed his brow, leaning against the auditorium door. "A famous singer… or a hairdresser!"

"A hairdresser?" I asked.

"Hell yeah!" he said. He tilted his head, holding up locks of green hair. "What? You think this hair's natural?"

"Well, obviously not," I grunted. "This isn't an anime."

Josh rolled his eyes, and faced Daizō. "Well? What about you, Daizō?"

Daizō frowned. "No idea. Maybe a jeweller, or a tattoo artist."

"A tattoo artist?" I asked.

Daizō nodded. "Yeah. I've always wanted to get a tattoo, but my mom won't let me. She thinks it'll turn me into a bad boy or something."

I snorted. "She let you get a piercing, though."

"Actually, no she didn't," Daizō said. "My dad did when she wasn't around. He got in a ton of trouble for that, trust me..."

"You should be a comedian," Josh laughed. "You're pretty funny!"

Daizō blushed. "You really think so?"

Josh nodded. Daizō's blush intensified.

"By the way…" I gazed at the sky out the window, watching the clouds. Class was going to start soon. I'd been meaning to talk about something, but I'd been putting it off. I knew I had to talk about it now.

"I saw Himiko the other day," I said. "I was in my noodle bar, and… I saw her. She'd changed her appearance, but it was her. She came up and talked to me… said she was going to change her life."

"Seriously?" Josh asked, eyes wide.

I grimaced. "And that's not all. According to Shigeo… she's apparently working at Spirits and Such."

"What!?" Josh exclaimed. Even Daizō's jaw went slack for a moment.

"I don't know," I commented. "I don't know why… or how… she should be in jail - in _Hell _\- but… Shigeo says she seems calm enough. I don't trust her, though."

"Something's going on," Josh agreed. "Something fishy."

I clenched my fists. Something fishy indeed. Not just Himiko, but that ginormous broccoli tree as well. I didn't trust it, so I had to get to the bottom of it, one way or another.

* * *

Our school was doing a cultural festival, which I had… mixed feelings about. Usually it got pretty weird, and I don't mean that to be offensive, I mean that to be honest. Our class was doing some kind of fancy stall selling weird food. I got put into a team with some other students, and our job was to make the stall look awesome.

But that wasn't really what I was worried about. I needed to see if Himiko was actually working at Spirits and Such. So when Mob said he was going to the office, I asked if I could come along, and he said yes.

When we got there, there was some weird crap going on. Serizawa and Reigen were talking to this weird-looking dude wearing a martial-arts style get up. He looked Native Indian, with dark eyebrows, and long, black hair in a Native Indian style. Over a black undershirt he wore a gi, with the sleeves torn off, fastened at the waist by a large band. Over his forearms were gauntlet-esque items and his legs were bound by wrappings. On his back was a sword.

"Master Reigen," Mob said. He looked down. "Ah… I'm sorry. The client comes first."

"Oh, Mob's here," Reigen said. "And so is the crazy girl Alisha."

"Arashi," I snapped.

"Same thing," Reigen waved it off. "Anyway, you aren't meant to be here, Mob. But it's fine, you can come with us."

"Did something happen?" Mob asked.

"Youkai busting," Reigen answered.

"Youkai busting?" I asked, incredulously. "Oh, whatever. Where's Himiko?"

"You mean Mi?" Reigen asked. "She's in the bathroom. She'll be back soon."

"A woman shouldn't be forced to come along," the weird guy said. "Youkai busting is extremely dangerous!"

"Who the Hell are you?" I asked him.

"I am Haruaki Amakusa!" he exclaimed. "A youkai hunter!"

(Something told me he wasn't actually a youkai hunter.)

"You gonna go youkai hunting with them?" I asked Shigeo. "I only came here to see… Himiko."

Shigeo nodded. "I need to talk to Master Reigen about something."

Just as he said that, Himiko walked out. She was wearing a skull t-shirt underneath a green jacket, as well as ripped grey shorts. Her head had been half-shaved, and the unshaven side was tied back into a ponytail.

We stared at each other for a while.

"So," I coughed. "This is what you meant by a new life."

"What are you talking about?" Himiko asked, innocently. "Do I know you?"

"Don't play dumb," I growled. "You can't pull that crap with me."

"Whoa there, Aishi," Reigen stood up. "Don't harass my employees."

"It's Arashi!" I yelled.

Reigen waved it off, and I felt like giving him a taste of defenestration.

"Don't you know who _she_ is?" I asked him. "She's the one who tried to destroy the world! Himiko Tanaka!"

"Wait, really?" Reigen asked, sweating.

"Is that true?" Serizawa gasped. "I didn't even recognise her!"

"I don't know what she's talking about," Himiko said, her voice squeaking.

"Liar!" I glared at her. "You should be in jail!"

"What's going on here?" Amakusa asked. "What do you mean, 'destroyed the world'?"

"I don't know!" Himiko cried, throwing up her hands. "Ask her!"

"Cut the crap," I growled. "You asshole!"

"Enough," Reigen stood up. "If you two want to fight, do it outside. Mi, I expect better from you! There's a client here right now."

Himiko bowed. "Sorry, Master Reigen."

Reigen sighed. "And you, Mob's sister, need to learn some manners!"

I glared at him. "Excuse me, you piece of-"

"Youkai hunting!" Amakusa exclaimed. We all stared at him. "Well! We've gotta get going! The youkai wait for no one, ladies and gentlemen!"

I was starting to regret coming here.

"Look," Himiko turned to me. "I don't know who you are or who this 'Himiko' is, and I can't help you. I'm sorry."

I gritted my teeth. "You liar! You-"

"I have to help Master Reigen now," Himiko said, gently. "I hope you find your friend."

I wanted to punch her in the face.

"C'mon," Reigen said, standing. "Let's get this over with."

I was left sort of standing there as Reigen and co. moved out. Shigeo glanced at me, a sympathetic look on his face.

"Do you want to come too?" he asked.

"Yes," I snapped, holding up a fist. "I'm getting to the bottom of this."

* * *

Apparently, the youkai were these weird creatures that fed on human energy. There was this youkai king that might wake up, and if he did, mankind would supposedly go extinct. In my opinion, this was all a load of baloney, but Amakusa was absolutely convinced they were real. And there was no way in Hell we could talk him out of it.

Amakusa, Reigen, Serizawa, Shigeo, Himiko and myself spent some time searching for the youkai. Amakusa didn't want Himiko and I to come along because we were 'sad women', which just pissed me off to no end.

The youkai were creatures that hung out in alleyways and such, but we couldn't seem to find any. We went to a graveyard, a bamboo forest, and plenty of other places, but found nothing. As you can tell, I was starting to lose patience.

"Is this guy for real?" I asked Serizawa.

Serizawa shrugged. I sighed.

"Is she really Himiko?" Serizawa asked me, gesturing at a dazed Himiko. "I mean… I heard she died!"

"It's her alright," I grumbled. "She just won't spit it out."

We arrived in front of an abandoned building. The windows were dull and lifeless. It gave me the shivers.

"The next stop," Reigen declared, "the abandoned building we once exorcised a ghost from. You did completely vaporise the ghost then, right?" He turned to Shigeo. "Mob?"

"Only two weeks left…" Mob muttered. I gave him a sympathetic look. Turns out, he was still questioning what his class was going to do about the culture festival.

"Ah, this is it!" Amakusa exclaimed. "There is slight youkai activity in this building!"

"I do sense some strange energy," Serizawa agreed.

"Me too," Himiko said.

"Costumes… tailoring…" Shigeo muttered.

"So," Reigen said, "let's go."

The building certainly wasn't a normal building. As soon as we walked in, the interior suddenly split into multiple paths. Plus, it looked more like a cave than the inside of an abandoned building. And the ground was full of holes, like a beehive.

"It's the Youkai's doing," Amakusa explained. "And… judging by this aura, it's more than one." He grimaced. "Looks like all of the 'hyakki' are gathered into this building. Damn hyakki… do they plan to use this as their hideout?"

"What a pain," Reigen grunted. "There are already plenty of citizens moving away because of the terrorist group and the giant plant. With this scary hideout, even more will move away. I just renovated the agency, can't allow more customers to slip away."

_Not like you had many to begin with_, I thought.

Amakusa began turning pale as we went deeper into the building.

"What's wrong, Amakusa?" Reigen asked. "You're sweating."

"We should retreat for now," Amakusa said.

"Huh?" Reigen asked. "Why?"

Amakusa stood still. "The truth is… I've only faced one Youkai at a time. Even then I had to do my darn best. Even one of them requires a lot of preparation time, it took me three days to take it down. But this time… this place is…" he gulped. "This is the HQ of the Hyakki, it's completely different from what I'm used to."

"But we can no longer head back," Serizawa commented, strangely serene. "Our way's been sealed. The space itself is distorted. It looks like we have to defeat whoever is inside."

True to his words, the path behind us was closed off. A shiver crawled down my spine.

"I don't even know what a hyakki is…" Himiko muttered.

For once, I actually agreed with something she said.

Shigeo's head was out of this world, and he kept muttering to himself. I tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, bro," I grunted. "Earth to Shigeo!"

"Huh?" he asked, staring at me.

"You okay?" I asked.

He nodded. "I'm fine. Maybe a bit distracted."

I glanced at Himiko again, who was avoiding my eyes. We kept walking. I swear I felt a pair of eyes on my back, but I saw nothing when I turned around. But when I faced the front…

"Here it is!" Amakusa exclaimed. "A youkai!"

It looked like a goopy dragon with holes imprinted in its body. On its back were lumps full of spikes and spines. Tongue lolling out its mouth, it glared down at us.

Amakusa jumped forward, holding out a stick. "HAH… MUMBO JUMBO MUMBO JUMBO, SPIRIT OF THE MUMBO JUMBO GRANT ME THE STRENGTH…"

He trailed off as the youkai exploded into bits.

"Oh, so regular exorcism works too…" Serizawa commented.

"Are youkai just evil spirits then?" I asked.

My question remained unanswered as we kept moving. A load of blobs with eyes appeared before us, gazing down hungrily.

"Amakusa!" Reigen shouted. "Can you keep up?"

Amakusa pulled out his sword. "Oh… dear ancestors, give me strength…"

His sword snapped in two once it came in contact with the youkai.

"Welp," I sighed, "he tried."

More and more youkai showed up. They were all different shapes and sizes, but all equally as disgusting.

"I'll spread my salt to weaken them!" Reigen yelled, throwing salt around. "Serizawa, Mi, Mob, you do the follow up!"

The three in question used their psychic powers to battle the youkai army. I clenched my fists and pitched in too. My power had been up and down since the whole Himiko incident, but it still worked. And plus, I had my karate skills as well.

Just as I thought it was over, four extremely powerful youkai materialised before us. Behind them was an even more powerful youkai with spiky hair.

"The Youkai King!" Amakusa cried out. "It's all over… I'm sorry I dragged you into this…"

"Is it that bad?" Reigen asked. He knocked on the wall. "Then open a hole in this wall so we can get out. Hey, can you break this?"

It seemed Serizawa wanted to fight the youkai before leaving. I joined him, Shigeo, and Himiko as the Youkai King and his henchmen surrounded us. A wave of psychic energy escaped us, and easily eradicated the youkai.

"Too easy," I commented.

"MERE HUMANS…" a voice boomed. "THINK THEY COULD OPPOSE THE GREAT YOUKAI KING?"

"Oh, just die already," I grumbled.

Naturally, Mob defeated the thing with little ease. And that seemed to clear the whole place up. Thank goodness for that.

"Thanks," I told my brother. "That thing was annoying."

He frowned. "I still haven't found an inspiration for the costume."

"You're thinking about that now?" I asked. "Shigeo..."

"You all should become Youkai hunters!" Amakusa exclaimed, appearing before us.

I chuckled. "Yeah, no way. I think being an esper is enough."

* * *

The culture festival was… interesting. Our class just ran a food stall, while this one guy stuck a bunch of balloons onto his body and acted like he was high. Truly a cultural masterpiece.

We did better than Ritsu, though - he had to dress as a maid.

As for Shigeo, his class did some kind of tunnel of Hell. It wasn't that scary in my opinion, but it was a vast improvement from the previous years.

All in all, it went great!

If only I could forget about the music school for a little longer...


	28. Mob becomes popular

For some reason, the school was covered in fissures. And rubbish. So naturally, us students had to clean up some of the mess. (Because it was totally our fault that the school was a mess.)

Sighing as a gentle breeze threw some leaves around, I swept my broom along the cement. Ten seconds in, and I was bored already. I heard some other girls gossiping nearby, but I ignored them. I never had been a fan of gossip.

Until I recognised one of them as Tsubomi, Mob's crush.

Tsubomi was covering her face like she had a blood nose. Her friends were giving her a weird look. For once, I almost felt pity for her. She looked mildly embarrassed. When it came to being the school idol, she had to act cool all the time... even if she _wasn't_ feeling cool. That was a lot of pressure. I could get away with acting like an idiot if I wanted; heck, that was what I was known for. But Tsubomi? No way in Hell. She was the idol.

I saw my brother Shigeo of all people give her a tissue. I gasped. Shigeo was actually talking to his crush?

"Thanks," Tsubomi smiled at Shigeo. "You really saved me, Mob-kun." She paused. "We haven't talked for quite a while."

"Uhhmmm," Mob replied.

"So, thanks again," Tsubomi waved. "See you."

Mob turned red as she walked away. My brother was really taking strides with his confidence. As it stood, I came to the realisation that I'd never actually spoken to Tsubomi myself. I'd always judged her as being snotty and stuck-up, but... that wasn't fair of me at all to judge her like that. After seeing the blood nose scene, who knew what her actual personality was like?

I decided I wanted to find out, and followed her.

She saw me, and offered me a grin. "Oh, hi. You're Mob's sister, Arashi-chan, right?"

"Yeah," I replied. "That's me. Nice to meet you."

Tsubomi kept her smile up. "Nice to meet you as well! I always admired how you became leader of the Karate Club, Arashi-chan. And I love your band, too."

"Thanks," I said. "You're pretty cool, too."

"Thanks," Tsubomi replied. "Continue looking out for your brother - he'll need it."

She walked away. Weirdly enough, she wasn't as bad as I thought she'd be. She wasn't an arrogant prick. She was… nice. Of course, it could've been a facade, but you never know.

Tsubomi was a mysterious person. Thinking about her made me realise there's much more to the surface to a person than one might think.

I decided, at some point, I'd talk to her again.

* * *

The Divine Tree's popularity was starting to spiral out of control. It had a ton of worshippers. It had merchandise. Someone had designed a roll cake after it (don't ask how... or why). To them, the giant broccoli was a sign of God. To me, it was a whole load of bullcrap. For the love of the gods, people were worshipping a vegetable! Plus, I hadn't seen Dimple around for a while, either. Where had he gone off to?

(Not that I missed him, but...)

I went to Josh's house that night. Daizō was there as well. My brothers were a bit iffy on the whole idea of me staying with two boys, but both Josh and Daizō were harmless, so I told them I'd be fine. Plus, I was a karate master. No boy was going to sneak up on me.

We stayed in Josh's room. His mom had set up futons on the ground for Daizō and myself. Since he was a westerner, Josh slept on a bed. He also had all kinds of American snacks. (Most of them were pretty unhealthy, but they tasted amazing.) His mother attempted to talk to us, but it seemed her Japanese was kind of lacking, since she accidentally said a few phrases in English. But she was very nice, so I couldn't complain.

I looked up at Josh, who was stuffing his face with popcorn… for some reason.

"Your mom is really cool," I told him.

"Not really," Josh grimaced. "She's kind of embarrassing, actually."

"Hey, c'mon," I waved my hand. "Being bilingual is not easy. I get migraines just _thinking _about English."

Josh laughed at that one. Daizō had a small blush on his cheeks, but he tried to hide it.

"So," Josh said, "you guys heard all about the Divine Tree?"

I nodded. "That thing is bizarre. It's just a big broccoli."

"Don't insult the Divine Tree," Daizō suddenly broke out of his calm demeanour. "Our leader won't have mercy on you!"

"What the Hell are you talking about?" I asked him.

"Wait…" Josh knitted his brows. "Daizō, are you… part of the Psycho Helmet Cult?"

Daizō nodded, his expression completely serious.

"Oh, fantastic," I muttered.

Daizō gave me an uncharacteristically hard glare. He looked like he wanted to punch me in the face.

"Hey, c'mon," Josh sat between us. "Why don't we watch a movie or something?"

We did end up watching a movie, but in a bitter silence. I swear Daizō was plotting my murder for the entire runtime.

* * *

"Hey, crazy girl! Get up!"

My eyes fluttered open. I was still at Josh's house. It was around 3AM, or something like that. Both of the boys were sound asleep.

And Dimple was in front of my face, his green body blazing like a fire.

"Dimple…?" I asked, groggily.

"You better believe it, crazy girl," he said. "You-"

I grabbed the top of his head and slammed him against the ground.

"Do you know how early it is?!" I hissed. "I was in the middle of a good dream!"

"Hey, hey!" he shouted, wincing as he hit the popcorn bowl. "That hurts!"

I let him go, wiping my eyes. My fists were clenched.

"Where've you been?" I demanded. "It's been ages since I last saw you!"

"Long story," he said, "but I need your help!"

"With what?" I grumbled.

"Your brother," he replied. "You have to get him to join the Psycho Helmet Cult!"

"Why?" I asked.

"So he can become a god," he replied. "So he can become popular! He'll have the whole world under his fingertips!"

"That's not something Shigeo would want," I argued.

"How do you know?" Dimple asked.

"I'm his sister, you idiot," I snapped.

"Then what about yourself?" Dimple asked. "How would _you_ like to become a god?"

I turned away and covered my ears with my pillow. "Goodnight, Dimple."

"Aw, c'mon!" Dimple floated near my face. "Don't you want to have the whole world at your fingertips? Don't you want to become all-powerful? No one will ever look down on you again!"

"Goodnight," I repeated, harsher.

Dimple shrugged. "Oh well. I was going to say you could go to that music school and stay with your family, but clearly, you're not interested."

"Wait, what?!" I shouted, sitting up. I covered my mouth, as the boys stirred.

"Arashi…?" Josh asked, his green hair all over the place.

"Sorry, man," I apologised, hastily. "Go back to sleep."

"Were you talking to someone…?" Daizō asked, wiping sleep out of his eyes.

"No," I answered, quickly. "I just… thought I saw something."

Josh gave me a quizzical stare.

"Hey, um…" I bunched my pajama shirt in my first. "Do you guys think I'm… popular?"

"At school?" Josh asked, leaning on his elbows. "Well, I guess, you're kind of popular. I mean, you're part of my band! Some people see you as a delinquent, though."

"Not hard to see why," Daizō muttered.

"Hey," I glared at him.

"You insulted my cult," he argued.

"Guys," Josh spoke up, sternly. Despite how goofy he could be, Josh was a surprisingly good authority figure. If anyone could take charge of a group, it was him.

"Whatever," I grumbled. "Let's just go back to sleep."

Josh gave me a concerned look. "Arashi..."

"Goodnight," I said, turning over. I heard Josh sigh and switch the lights off. I sighed, lulling myself back to sleep...

"He's going to the cult tomorrow," Dimple whispered into my ear.

"Huh?" I muttered, my eyes groggily opening.

"Shigeo," Dimple told me. "He's going to announce his leadership of the cult."

* * *

I decided to check in with Shigeo the next day. I found him walking around the main street, where a bunch of people were standing and gawking at the Divine Tree.

"You're really going to become leader of that cult?" I asked.

Shigeo nodded. "I'm going to become popular!"

"I thought this wasn't your thing," I replied, giving him an odd look.

Before Shigeo could say anything else, Teruki showed up.

"I knew it was you, Kageyama," he said.

"Hanazawa!" Shigeo exclaimed.

"Hey there," I high-fived Teruki. "What's up?"

"That tree," Teruki joked. "Anyway, looks like you need some help buying clothes, Shigeo."

We walked to a clothes store, gazing around the city. While it was busy and bustling as always, something felt… off. I couldn't stop looking around, trying to put two and two together. Was it the fissures? The Divine Tree itself?

"You keep looking at the streets," Teruki commented. "So you've noticed it too. Something is changing in this city. There are fissures there and there in the buildings and on the street… I don't know the reason yet, but my guess would be- hey, Shigeo, are you listening?"

"No, it's just…" Mob was staring at some girls by a crossroad.

I sighed, "Seriously? Thought you were into Tsubomi."

"I am, I mean…" Mob trailed off. "Recently, there are lots of girls looking at me. I don't know if it's my imagination or what…"

"Kageyama-kun, the truth is…" Teruki cleared his throat. "It's not your imagination! The girls stare at you because you're handsome!"

"Nah, that can't be," Shigeo said.

"It totally is," I agreed. "Doesn't mean I'll let any of them touch you."

We went clothes shopping for a bit. I didn't find it very interesting, and most of the clothes were overpriced anyway. Shigeo managed to buy something, though. It was one of the worst shirts I'd ever seen, but he seemed to like it for some reason.

If only I could get the sick feeling out of my stomach...


	29. Reigen's plan

"Wait, so you aren't the Psycho Helmet Cult leader?"

Mob shrugged at me, as we walked home from school. "I… I'm not sure anymore. I talked to Mezato, but she said that the leader is someone else."

I shook my head. "That doesn't make sense. You're the leader. You have been since you destroyed that LOL place ages ago."

Mob looked away, slightly flushed. "I wanted to accept the responsibility, but…"

"Maybe someone is impersonating you," I realised. I scowled at the thought. "Probably some dumb jackass."

Who would've wanted to impersonate my brother? Whoever they were, they were pissing me off.

"Actually…" a familiar voice said behind me, "it's definitely someone else."

I turned around, surprised to see Himiko standing there. She looked casual, with a small smile, but all my red flags were going up.

"What're you doing here?" I snapped.

Himiko held out her phone, ignoring my face. "Just watch this."

On the screen was a video of some creepy-looking… thing... that vaguely resembled Shigeo. Its face was identical to the Psycho Helmet Cult logo. Its entire body was covered in bumps and lines that resembled veins. It almost reminded me of a messed-up scarecrow.

"This is the leader of the Psycho Helmet Cult," Himiko explained.

"That is one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen," I grunted. "And I've seen literal monsters before."

"Do you know him, Mob-senpai?" Himiko asked Mob.

"No, I don't," Shigeo replied, staring at the… thing.

"_Nice to meet you all_," the thing spoke with a surprisingly clear voice. "_I am the one who will be leading the Psycho Helmet Cult, 'Psycho Helmet'._"

"Please tell me this is a joke," I muttered.

"_First I'd like to stress, I didn't show up thus far because I wanted to avoid any turmoil_," the thing explained. "_A supernatural being like me is doomed to disturb society's balance._"

"The only supernatural thing about that guy is how ugly he is," I commented, feeling pretty snarky.

"Arashi," Mob hushed me, gently.

"_But since the terrorist attack incident, I think it is my duty to step up and protect this city_," the thing continued. "_From now on, I will guide everyone towards happiness. My Psycho Helmet Cult and I can change this world, with your help. We welcome anyone who's willing to join us, please invite your friends and family too._"

"What is this, a sales pitch?" I asked.

"Arashi," Mob sighed. "Please."

"_And also, I am the one who has created the divine tree_," the thing explained.

"Bullcrap," I snapped.

Mob looked too invested to reprimand me again.

"_Powerful and free is the symbol of the Psycho Helmet Cult_," the 'leader' said. "_Believers use the divine tree as a gathering to make the cult stronger everyday. The power of belief will make the tree grow, and turn the world into a happier place. Please worship the tree if it were me._"

People in the video began shouting. "_Objection! The divine tree is where our lord 'puffy head' houses!_"

"_Wrong! That's the nest of the 'dragon breath'!_"

"_Stop pretending like you own it!_"

"_You're not keeping it for yourself!_"

"_You're babbling without any proof!_"

"So they're not completely hopeless," I muttered.

"You're ruthless," Himiko told me.

"Says you," I snapped, my hands itching to strangle her.

"Arashi," Mob said, staring at me.

I huffed.

"_It's time to_," the thing spoke up, "_let you witness a miracle!_"

He raised his hands. The ground beneath his feet cracked, and a large broccoli sprouted out.

"Ah," Mob realised.

"So he can grow vegetables," I grunted. "So what?"

"Arashi, he's proving that he's the one who grew the tree," Himiko explained. "He's an esper, and he's showing the others how the broccoli tree was formed." She looked away, with an indescribable expression. "He silenced the other cults. He's converted them all. And the existing believers bought everything he did."

"What a scumbag," I growled. "I should beat him up."

"Don't," Mob told me. "It's not worth it, sister."

"Besides, Reigen has an assignment for Mob-senpai and myself," Himiko said. "Something to do with the Divine Tree."

"Does it involve punching that leader guy in the face?" I asked.

Himiko glowered. "Not quite. You've probably noticed the town's been… decaying, lately. Master Reigen figured out this is because of the plant's roots. The gigantic roots are spreading all over the place… and still growing as we speak. Those roots break through the concrete in search for nutrients, and that's where the cracks come from. The damage has spread across the entire city."

I scowled. "So… the tree is pretty much destroying the whole city?"

Himiko nodded.

"We need to destroy that damn broccoli," I said, putting my palm in my fist. "And punch that leader guy in the face."

"I said this mission is for Mob-senpai and myself," Himiko told me.

I glared at her. "You think I'm gonna listen to you? I knew that tree was bad news. I'm taking it down."

Mob, as usual, had gone silent.

"What do you think, Mob-senpai?" Himiko asked him.

Mob nodded. "You're right. We need to stop the tree. And we need all the help we can get."

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me."

Everywhere I looked, people were selling some kind of product made from the divine tree. Candy, parfaits, biscuits, you name it. Of course I didn't try any of it, since no way in Hell was I ever going to touch any of that divine tree crap. It was just as bad any as kind of drug.

Teruki was walking beside me as we headed past some women giving out divine tree powder in packets.

"Apparently, they're full of nutrients," Teruki said.

"Pfft, yeah right," I scoffed. "I don't believe that crap for a second."

Teruki frowned. "You know… I'm kind of curious, actually."

"Don't tell me you're going to try some," I said. Before he could protest, I explained everything about how the divine tree was destroying the city.

Teruki's frown grew. "The divine tree might not be doing it on purpose, but still…"

"It's definitely doing it on purpose," I said, crossing my arms. "The whole thing is malicious."

Teruki stared up at the divine tree in the distance. I saw creases appear around his eyes. I had a feeling he'd been suspicious of the tree for a while, and those suspicions had just been confirmed.

"Mob, _that_ girl, and myself are going to take it down," I told him. "You want in?"

Teruki clenched his fists. "I do."

* * *

"It feels strange." Shigeo said, as we walked through a crowd of people.

"Hmm?" Reigen asked.

"The atmosphere in this city," Shigeo replied. "As if we're being watched…"

"You've noticed you've become quite popular, you said," Reigen responded. "We all go through the phase of feeling too full of ourselves. But try not to tell too many people about it. You might regret it some day."

"Says you," I muttered, while Teruki side-glanced at me.

"Um, Reigen-sensei," Himiko spoke up, probably putting on a shy act.

"Yes?" Reigen asked, staring at her.

"How exactly are we going to take down the Divine Tree?" she asked.

"Ah!" Reigen exclaimed. "I have a plan. I give you the instructions, you kids follow them."

"Instructions?" Teruki asked.

"You're right, I need to elaborate," Reigen mused, nodding. "I've been thinking about it a lot…"

He held up a sheet of paper with a set of basic instructions (and bad illustrations) on it:

_Lift it with psychic power_

_Carry it_

_Drop it into the ocean_

"Easy, right?" Reigen asked.

I face-palmed. "Oh for God's sake."

"Not surprised this is the route Reigen-san wants to take…" Teruki muttered.

"So… we all have to carry that thing into the ocean?" Himiko asked.

"It should be easy enough with four psychics," Reigen said. "You all carry it into the ocean, and I'll watch over you."

"And what will you be doing?" I asked.

"I'll watch over your safety," Reigen answered, "and make sure you reach the ocean."

I face-palmed again.

"Should we get Ritsu to help us as well?" Teruki asked.

"I think we'll be fine with you four, but we can use Ritsu as a back-up," Reigen replied.

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled," I deadpanned. (Just as thrilled as I was...)


	30. Reigen's plan, the sequel

As I expected, Ritsu wasn't all too thrilled about the plan. We met up with him as he was leaving school, walking through the gates.

"Hey," Mob said, getting his attention.

Ritsu walked over to us. "Hey, guys." He frowned at Shigeo. "Bro, aren't you supposed to be working right now?"

"Oh, yeah, about that," Reigen said, cutting in. "Can you help these guys out a little?"

Reigen explained the plan, adding how Ritsu would be a 'back-up'.

"Removing the Divine Tree from the city…" Ritsu scowled, making a face. "Are you sure about that? I don't think you can lift that thing with telekinesis."

"Also, it's a kind of dumb plan," I muttered. Teruki snorted.

"There was one time some classmates helped the teacher carry a piano out of the classroom," Shigeo said. "One alone can never do that, but with combined strength, even something this heavy can be lifted. So we should be fine."

Well, if Shigeo was feeling optimistic, I could go with it.

"We must act now," Reigen said. "Cut it down, let it wither, whatever… we just need to get rid of it before all of Spice City is destroyed!"

Ritsu sighed, looking away. Bags were underneath his eyes.

"What's up?" I asked him, as he shivered.

"There's some nasty stuff going on with the Student Council too," he admitted. "Sis, you know about that trendy Psycho Helmet Cult?"

"I wish I didn't," I grunted.

"Me too," Ritsu grumbled. "There are a lot of worshippers, even at our school. The speed they're spreading is scary to say the least. I feel like something abnormal is about to happen. I don't know much about religion, so it's not my field to judge."

"They see the Divine Tree as their 'holy ground'," Reigen said. "That means if we remove the tree, the whole cult will be against us."

"But judging from the internet, they seem to be a harmless cult," Teruki pointed out. "They sell merch, they've got chat forums, they have events even outside Spice City… it's more like a fan club than a religion."

"Maybe they'll just get over it then," Himiko said. "It happens."

"I don't think so," Ritsu jumped in. "How they gain popularity is really unsettling. We don't know the harm of it."

"Very true," I said, making a fist. "There's something fishy going on for sure."

"Of course we need to be careful," Reigen sighed. "Moving something that gigantic will attract attention… some might try to stop us. Hmm… that'll be troublesome. Anyway, we just need to pull it out quickly and head to our destination."

Ritsu groaned, like he was having a headache. Honestly, I couldn't blame him.

"Let me replenish some blood sugar first," he said, pulling some candy out of his pocket.

"Ritsu, you're bringing candy to school?" Mob asked.

"Ah, this?" Ritsu asked, holding up a wrapped bon-bon. "The Student Council President gave it to me. It's called Divine Tree Candy. You want some too, guys?"

"I'll have some later," Mob said.

"Me too," Himiko agreed.

Ritsu was about to pop the candy into his mouth, but Teruki grabbed it using his psychic powers.

"Don't eat it," he said. "It'll brain-wash you."

Ritsu stared at him. "How do you know that?"

"I ate some cookies infused with Divine Tree powder," Teruki said. "I almost turned into a full-fledged, brainless worshipper."

"So they really _are_ trying to control people," I grumbled. "We need to get rid of that tree now."

"Absolutely," Reigen agreed. "Let's go now!"

However, just as we were about to go, a ton of people stepped into our way. They were all different types of people, but they all had the same expression on their face: a fake smile. The smile that screams 'I really hate you, but I'm not going to show it'. Definitely a big obstacle.

"What's all this about?" Reigen asked, trying to find a way to get past them. "Move!"

"We heard you were going to take down the Divine Tree," said a boy in front.

"Josh?!" I yelled.

His eyes were glazed over as he stared at me. He looked so... dead. It was so creepy. I noticed Himiko tensing up.

"Join us, Arashi," he said, offering a hand. "The Divine Tree sees all!"

"No way in Hell," I growled. "That damn tree got to you too!"

"Run!" Reigen shouted.

We turned in the opposite direction, escaping the group of people. Unfortunately, they began chasing after us.

"Crap," Reigen cursed under his breath.

"Uh, guys!" I yelled.

"I've got it," Teruki said. He raised his hands, picking up the entire group of people and moving them away. (Now that takes skill.) Once he'd moved them at least a few kilometres away, we continued running. We didn't stop until we reached an empty street, away from the crowds.

"Dammit," Reigen huffed. "Half the city has become Psycho Helmet Cult worshippers."

"How did it end up like this?" Mob asked.

"And where's Ritsu?" Teruki asked.

I went pale, looking around. Mob copied me. We turned to face each other.

"He's… gone," I said. I clenched my fists, moving towards the end of the street. "Ritsu! Ritsu! Are you there?"

"Little brother!" Mob joined in, concern all over his face.

"The cult must've got him," Himiko said, staring at her shoes.

"I'll kill them all," I growled, fists turning orange.

"Now, now," Reigen raised his hands. "Calm down, Arayushi. We-"

"Arashi," I corrected.

"Yes, yes," Reigen said, waving a hand. "If we want to save your brother, I think we'll need to do something about the leader of the Psycho Helmet Cult."

He pointed to a poster showing the leader's face. A face that I _really_ wanted to punch.

"That psycho helmet guy is an unknown esper," Reigen said. "We don't even know what he's thinking, let alone his goals. However… if we proceed any further towards the tree, he will most likely show up to stop us. We'll ask about his plan when that time comes."

"He better show up," I growled. "He's gonna meet my fists."

"You have psychic powers, and you _still _want to use physical violence?" Teruki asked me.

"You wanna meet my fists too?" I asked him.

"Kids," Reigen spoke above us. "To be honest... I'm not totally sure that Psycho Helmet guy actually is a bad person."

"His stupid cult took Ritsu away!" I shouted. "His cult _brainwashes _people, and turns them into mindless worshippers! Are you stupid, Arataka?!"

"Arashi," Mob said gently. "The people in the club aren't bad people. They all look like they're having fun together. But…" He looked straight ahead, eyes shadowed. "If that guy was fake… if he's only tricking everyone into worshipping him… then we can't ignore that."

"There was no real one to begin with," Reigen pointed out.

"Isn't Shigeo-senpai technically the leader?" Himiko asked.

"They were worshipping his shadow," Teruki replied. "Not Kageyama himself."

"I think Psycho Helmet himself is no bad guy either, despite the whole Ritsu thing," Reigen added. "Sure, calling himself the founder of a big new religion is kind of dubious, but… every community needs a leader. See him as a fan club president, and everything seems natural. What Lord Psycho Helmet's been doing is only… deciding on their organisation operates and making sure everything runs smoothly. It must be really hard work. It's no wonder he has gained respect from people around him. Even if you're an esper too, he is basically doing what your lack of experience in life cannot." He faced us, trying to look wise. "I understand that you're jealous, but there's no need to make him your enemy. Pretend this is a festival, and you'll win by having fun. If they really need the Divine Tree, then forcefully taking it away is not a nice thing to do. We'll look for another way to solve the problem." He walked off, random speech apparently over. "Okay, guys, let's go home."

"Are you kidding?" I snapped. "Ritsu's been kidnapped by those psychos!"

"Maybe he joined them willingly," Reigen said. "They don't seem like kidnappers. I'm sure he's having a great time. And even if he wasn't, he's strong enough to handle himself."

Now I wanted to punch _Reigen_ in the face.

"I think Reigen-san's been brain-washed as well," Teruki commented.

"Or he's being stupid," I retorted.

"Brain-washed?" Reigen laughed. "Don't be silly. I'm just saying there's no need to make a fuss about this religion." He frowned. "Oh, I see. This is how it feels to be called out for being 'brain-washed', when you're not."

"Honestly, he's got a point," Himiko agreed, smiling sweetly. "We were just overreacting. Ritsu and the other citizens aren't brain-washed either. It's just our imagination that we're being watched."

"Himiko?!" I shouted. "Not you too!"

"You're the one who said to remove the broccoli, Master," Shigeo told Reigen.

"The city being affected by the divine tree and the spreading of the Psycho Helmet cult are two different things," Reigen replied. "That thing's just a gigantic weed that needs to be removed. However, to the believers, it's their one and only symbol of belief. We can't just take away what's important to other people."

"But its existence is my responsibility," Shigeo argued.

"You don't need to take responsibility," Reigen said. "Never mind those pesky details. Think about the priorities. The importance of the city itself, or the heart of its citizens… of course the heart is more important."

"The heart of the citizens won't have anywhere to live if there's no city left thanks to that tree," I grunted.

"The city is now under the control of Psycho Helmet Cult," Reigen continued, ignoring me. "We need to understand how the worshippers feel. Why are you hesitating? Oh well, I guess it's not that easy to get accustomed to a new environment. From now on, this city and the world, will co-exist with the divine tree and the Psycho Helmet Cult."

I felt Mob grab my arm and drag me and Teruki away.

"Huh?" Reigen said. "Hey, kids! What's the matter, are you going without me?"

"We can't listen to him anymore," Teruki said. "He's crazy. We need to take care of this ourselves."

"Right," I agreed.

We continued walking, getting closer to the tree. A whole army of people stood in our way. Teruki raised his arms to move them, but Mob put up a hand, stopping him.

"Are you three going to the Divine Tree?" Mezato asked, stepping in front of the crowd.

"We need to talk to it directly," Mob said.

"Hm," Mezato chortled. "So there's no use stopping you."

"Yeah," Mob said, expression blank. It was amazing how confident he'd become, facing the huge crowd. Only months ago he wouldn't have even dared to _come_ here.

I hardened my expression. Teruki grabbed my arm, jerking his head to the crowd. I scanned over their faces, and gasped.

"Ritsu!" I hissed, spotting my brother within the crowd. He was gazing at us with suspicion in his eyes.

"He's too far gone," Teruki grunted. "Damn that tree."

"Make a path," Mezato spoke up. "Everyone, let them pass. Don't stop them."

The crowd of people cleared a path for us. I would've been flattered if I wasn't pissed off.

As we walked through, I heard people muttering. "I heard Lord Psycho Helmet's voice… 'Shigeo Kageyama is our original Lord Psycho Helmet…" "Ooohh…" "He came here by his own will…" "And that's his sister, Kageyama Arashi…" "His friend Teruki…" "Amazing…"

"We'll follow you wherever you go!" someone shouted. "Lord Psycho Helmet!"

"Psycho Helmet!" the people chanted. "Psycho Helmet!"

I gazed at the crowd, spotting both of my fellow band members, my karate club mates, the Body Improvement Club, and Mob's crush, Tsubomi. It seemed every single resident of Spice City was in the crowd. Even Onigawara was there.

They continued chanting, "Psycho Helmet! Psycho Helmet!"

"They're so annoying," I muttered to Teruki.

"Actually, I kind of like it," Teruki grinned.

I rolled my eyes.

Mob faced the tree, staring up at it. His expression was hard to read.

"Alright," I declared, holding up my fists. "Let's take down this overgrown weed."


	31. The invasion on the tree

**A/N: Edit, I decided to just fuse this chapter with the next one. Half-way through has the new content. **

* * *

Things started getting weird when I heard an unfamiliar voice in my head.

_They're acknowledging your brother as the first leader_, the voice said. _They're expecting him to take the first step._

"Who the Hell are you?" I asked, looking around. "How are you in my head?!"

_They're acknowledging you and Teruki as followers as well_, the voice said, ignoring my question. _How does it feel? It's a damn good feeling, isn't it?_

"No it's not," I snapped. "You're creeping me out!"

"You're hearing it too?" Teruki asked me, concern in his eyes.

"A weird voice in my head?" I asked. "Yep. Shigeo, what about you?"

My brother was focused on more pressing matters. He stood at the foot of the Divine Tree, gazing up at its branches.

"I'm at the root of the broccoli," he announced. "Where are you?"

_This is no longer a simple broccoli_, the creepy voice said. _It has absorbed the people's will and become a whole different entity. Have you ever strongly believed in something? In the eyes of those who believe in nothing, nothing exists. But amongst those who believe, it exists. The gathering of strong will has manifested into reality. From now on, the world will change tremendously. A new god named Psycho Helmet has manifested as a definite existence and has descended upon you._

"What's that lunatic talking about?" I asked.

Shigeo walked inside the tree, climbing the pathways inside it. Teruki and I followed. It didn't really hit me how huge the tree was until we were walking inside all of its tunnels. It was actually pretty disturbing. It was like a labyrinth in there.

"Since when have you become a god?" Shigeo asked the tree, calm as always. "I thought you were just in charge of a group."

"He's right," I agreed.

_Psycho Helmet is the reincarnation of the creator of all things_, the voice answered. _That's the set-up. He guides people onto the right path, so they find peace at heart._

"I don't think this whole cult thing is the 'right path'," I argued, climbing up a tunnel. "I mean, believe in whatever you want, but… you're deceiving and manipulating people."

"Deceiving and manipulating people," Teruki mused, following behind me. "That reminds me of someone..."

"Now that I think about it," I said, thoughtfully, "you're right. In fact, this whole cult thing is giving me a lot of deja vu. Hey, bro," I caught my brother's attention, taking him away from his little telepathic chat with Mr. Psycho Helmet. "You remember the LOL Cult?"

"Yes," Mob said, looking over his shoulder. "Why?"

"Doesn't that remind you of this?" I asked.

Mob's face darkened over. He didn't say anything, and kept moving. I had a pretty bad feeling about it all. We were silent as we continued our ascent. Once Mob reached the top, he helped Teruki and I up. We stood up, and faced the leader of the Psycho Helmet Cult in all his ugly glory.

"Dimple," Mob said. "So it was you."

Mob's hair floated around his face, which tended to happen when he was upset. My hair didn't fly around my face, but I was still pissed.

"You bastard!" I yelled. "I knew you were bad news!"

I raced towards him, only to find myself restrained by vines.

"Hey!" I shouted, trying to tug the veins off. My hands glowed orange, summoning a fire around me.

"I'll burn this whole tree down!" I yelled.

"Arashi, wait," Mob held up a hand. "Let me talk to him."

"He's evil, bro!" I growled, my nails digging into my fiery palms.

"Right," Teruki agreed, a golden aura surrounding him.

"Ignore them, Mob," Dimple told my brother. "Become my second leader. Let's work together and bring this to fruition as a two-man team. Join the Psycho Helmet Cult."

"You don't need to use me anymore," Mob replied, looking down. "It seems to me… that you alone are already powerful enough."

Dimple spread his arms. "You still have potential, Shigeo. I can tell. You can gain so much more power in the near future. I think it would be a real waste if you didn't make good use of it."

"I refuse," Mob said.

"Good on you, bro," I told him.

"Psycho Helmet…" Teruki muttered, eyes glazed over. Only then I realised he was tied up in vines.

"Teru!" I shouted. "No!"

"Well, I thought you'd say that," Dimple sighed. "But, you know… aside from these two, your family and friends… they're already living in a different world from you. A world wherein belief in Lord Psycho Helmet brings them happiness. These two will join them soon enough. Teruki already has, and soon your sister will follow."

"I will not!" I yelled. But… somehow, the thought of Psycho Helmet Cult almost sounded… appealing to me. A world full of peace and love…

_No, stop_, I told myself. _You can't…_

"Within this city, only you have been left behind, Shigeo," Dimple said. "Abandoned by the movement of a new faith. And no one is coming back for you. So quit being so stubborn. It's pointless."

"Not true…" I forced out. "Shigeo and I… are in this together…!"

"Don't brainwash my sister, Dimple," Shigeo told Dimple. His expression was blank, but I was starting to get a sense of anger building up inside him.

"Are you mad?" Dimple asked.

"I'm mad," Shigeo replied. "Obviously. Wake everyone up right now. How and when did you even manage to brainwash Ritsu and Master Reigen?"

"Stage one involves either touching the Divine Tree, or consuming part of it," Dimple answered, like he was some kind of scientist. "That's how I invaded their minds. Stage two is essentially what you'd call 'getting swallowed by the mood'. And stage three, which is that the strength of passion gets passed from neighbour to neighbour. From here on out, I don't have to do anything. It's only a matter of time before the Psycho Helmet Cult spreads to everyone in the country." He grinned. "It's incredible. I'm gonna be a new god."

"So this cult is basically a pandemic," I grunted. "Awesome."

"I don't really get it, but 'becoming a god' is pointless," Shigeo said, holding out a hand. "Now hurry up, and reverse the brain-washing. Don't you understand what you're doing?"

"How unlike you, to pose such an emotional, one-sided argument," Dimple chuckled. "Aren't you the one getting so worked up that you won't even try to understand? It's not like things will change. Your friends and family won't treat you coldly. The believers will share a feeling of happiness. I didn't mean for you to feel left out. If you want to join us, then come over."

"No…" I coughed, starting to give in. "Shigeo…"

Mob waved his hand, freeing Teruki and myself from the vines. For some reason I felt angry at my brother, but… at the same time…

_Psycho Helmet… Psycho Helmet…_

_No... _

"Dimple, you're a coward," Mob said, his voice tight. "Using 'power' to move people's hearts… you're making it so that no one can resist."

"No one has been able to resist, not since the first laws of society were created," Dimple replied. "As long as they're unaware of it, you can't call it a problem. You've been imposing your powers on the others since the start, Shigeo. And even now, you're thinking of using it to make me surrender?"

_Lord Psycho Helmet is right_, I thought. _Is he not? _

"Even your sister agrees," Dimple said, slyly.

Shigeo turned to me, but I glared at him, feeling a rush of anger. How dare he refuse the way of Lord Psycho Helmet!

"You're brain-washing my family and friends," Shigeo told Dimple. "I don't have a choice but to use my powers. It might not look like it, but I'm really holding back."

"You idiot, Shigeo," I snapped. "Don't you understand the way of this cult? You're ruining everyone's fun, just like you did with the LOL Cult."

"Sister…" Mob raised his hands. He looked hurt, for a brief moment.

"You always ruin everyone's fun," I growled, orange power encasing my body. "But not this time. I won't let you ruin this perfectly good cult!"

"Me neither," Teruki agreed, appearing beside me. "We won't let you take another move. Kageyama-kun, if you ruin this cult, our connection will end. All of this will be over."

"It's true," I growled. "We're not going to let you ruin everything!"

"These two mean you no harm," Dimple said. "They are concerned for you. Leave peacefully, and you will have a happy ending. Or will you continue to-"

Mob waved his hand, chopping off Dimple's head.

"I'm done talking to a broccoli puppet," he said. "Come on out, real Dimple. Let's talk face to face."

"What have you done?!" Teruki demanded.

"Shigeo!" I raged. "I'll destroy you!"

"I just want to talk," Mob pleaded.

Dimple began reforming out of the ground, like a plant. "You want to talk, but we've been doing that for a while, haven't we? You just refuse to hear me out."

Mob waved his hand, destroying Dimple's body again.

"Don't hurt the tree!" Teruki and I yelled, racing towards Shigeo.

"Guys, no," Shigeo said, holding up his hands.

Normally I would never attack my brother, but I was… infuriated. How dare he hurt Lord Psycho Helmet. I had never felt such rage. He was going to pay.

I sent a flame bolt at my brother, who deflected it away with his powers. Teruki used his powers, but Mob shielded himself.

"I'm going to fight Kageyama-kun until you turn back!" Teruki yelled.

"I'll kick you off this tree!" I raged, preparing another fire-bolt. And then I couldn't move. Mob's power was holding us in one place.

"Sorry," Shigeo said, raising his hand. He turned away. "Dimple, come out!"

A power bloomed within me. I felt… powerful. Strong. Unstoppable.

Suddenly, I had become a god.

I sent my new power towards Shigeo, slamming him into the ground. Teruki raised his hands, trapping Shigeo in vines.

"Good thinking, Hanazawa," Dimple said. "That'll keep him trapped."

"Teru..." Shigeo coughed. "Arashi, get me out of here!"

Suddenly, he exploded out of the vines, zooming towards us. His power was stronger once again.

"Lord Psycho Helmet, stay behind us!" I yelled, Teruki and I protecting Dimple.

But Mob's power was too strong. He pushed us aside, and turned to face Dimple himself. He had reformed into a large, muscular being.

And that's when I knew the fight was on.

"Lord Psycho Helmet!" I shouted.

Dimple charged towards my brother, but Mob just forged a hole right through his body. Dimple tried to re-form, but my brother repeated the process. Almost ruthlessly.

"It's pointless," Mob said.

The bits of exploded Dimple fell all over the place. They began to bloom and grow into Dimple clones. They sprouted out, charging towards my brother. But with ease, he shoved them all away. Even as he continued to slaughter them all, they kept coming.

"How come you aren't showing your face?" Shigeo demanded.

As more and more clones raced towards my brother, his face shadowed over.

"Are you scared of me?" he asked.

Vines wrapped around his body. The clones surrounded him.

"Are you still doing it?" Mob asked. "This sorta thing… is enough. Stop already. Don't make me feel this way."

He clenched his fist over his heart. "Don't you get it, Dimple… come out, or else…" A tear streamed down his cheek.

A small part of me… felt… pity for him. _Shigeo…_

Mob tried to use his powers again, only to realise… he couldn't. The flow of energy was leaving his body.

"My power…" he breathed, "... is being drained?"

"Correct," Dimple said, appearing behind him. "You noticed a little too late. You walked right into the tree when I told you to, that was a mistake."

The clones began to sprout broccoli trees. They surrounded my brother, trapping him. He covered his face with his hands, but he couldn't stop them.

"Your biggest mistake…" Dimple said, his real face appearing above Mob, "was opposing me."

I felt a disgusting respect for the cursed spirit, who was now an enormous version of Dimple. I turned, noticing Teruki had been knocked out. I reached out, but stopped myself.

_Lord Psycho can handle this._

It was between Mob and him. My brother had gone too far.

"If you thought our hierarchy wouldn't eventually change, then you're gravely mistaken, Shigeo," Dimple said.

"Hierarchy?" Mob asked. "What are you talking about, Dimple? What's the meaning of all this?!"

"If you want to talk, we've tried that before," Dimple said. "Just one brat's bickering isn't gonna stop the festival. You won't listen to me, so how about I let your little sister take over? You'd listen to her, wouldn't you?"

"Big bro, you're getting in the way," I said, the words coming out without my consent. "Why can't you read the atmosphere?"

Shigeo's face darkened over. "My sister would never say something like that."

"Well, too bad, kiddo," Dimple chuckled. "Because she just did!"

The broccoli around my brother suddenly broke. The power around him thrummed through the air.

"Hey, what the Hell…" Dimple trailed off.

"That's not my sister," Mob said, pointing to me. "That's a crazy cult follower that's being manipulated by _you_, Dimple."

Dimple chuckled, looking down at my brother. "Don't get so angry now, Shigeo. I thought I'd taken most of your power, but looks like you still have plenty left. Was it too soon for me to show myself? Whatever, in this form, I won't lose to you."

My brother slapped Dimple multiple times, knocking him down. It would've been funny if I wasn't so loyal to Psycho Helmet. Unfortunately, I still couldn't move.

"Stop!" Dimple shouted, but Mob ignored him. Dimple changed his form, and grabbed Mob's arm.

"You had your fun?" Dimple demanded. "That's how you repay me for being gentle to you? If you're trying to get rid of me for real… then I'll have to get serious as well!"

An explosion of power escaped Dimple, knocking Mob aside. Dimple stood tall. He looked like a muscular man, with green power flowing around him.

"**I am now the definition of divine!**" Dimple boomed, staring down at my brother. "**Lord Dimple the god, who has been reborn! Worship me! Here I come…**"

My brother scowled. "So what?"

"Shigeo…" I muttered, trying to sit up. "Brother!"

Shigeo glanced at me for a second, only to turn his attention back to Dimple.

"**GOD PUNCH!**" Dimple yelled, slamming his fist into my brother's cheek, sending him flying. He bounced across the ground like a ball.

"**GOD DASH!**" Dimple roared, zooming over to my brother and grabbing his face. "**GOD SLAM!**"

Shigeo's face was slammed into the ground, cracking it.

"Shi… geo…" I said, managing to sit up. "You…"

Dimple held Mob up by his head. "**How does it feel? The power of God. You can give up! GOD TOSS!**"

Unsurprisingly, this move involved chucking my brother across the sky. The vines wrapped around his body, hoisting him into the air.

"**This awesome combo has connected**," Dimple said. "**But I know you, Shigeo… that's not enough to make you give up!**"

"That's your true form…" Shigeo breathed, staring at the 'God'. "Is this supposed to be your true face? You're kidding."

"**Hmph, let me punch that insolent mouth of yours in!**" Dimple roared. "**You'll regret not having joined my side peacefully!**"

"Do you really think so?" Mob asked. "Then you better not hold back… your 'power', your actions, your speech… all of it is fake! I don't think you're the real Dimple! This doesn't suit you. I won't allow it! I won't acknowledge it."

"**Acknowledge me?!**" Dimple boomed. "**Who do you think you are?! You don't get to decide what I'm really after! GOD BEAM!**"

He shot a giant laser beam out of his mouth, causing the area around Mob to explode. But I knew my brother wasn't finished yet. I forced myself to stand up, and I went into the dust. My brother's power was so strong, I was sure someone who wasn't an esper could sense it, so it wasn't hard to find him.

"Arashi…" he stared at me.

"You're close to exploding," I said.

Shigeo grabbed my shoulder. "You stay down. Let your big brother handle this." He turned to face Dimple. "I want to know what you really think. Say something, Dimple."

"**There is no real thought**," Dimple admitted, a frown appearing on his face. "Since the very start, I've been using you."

"Oh… does that mean… it's time to say goodbye to Dimple?" Mob asked.

"**FULL POWER!**" Dimple roared, racing towards my brother. And then he stopped, staring at Shigeo's shirt. "**THAT SHIRT'S SO TACKY!**"

And that was what pushed my brother over the edge. A release of white energy escaped his body, exploding through the tree. And then… his power was gone. It had dissipated.

"**What's wrong?**" Dimple asked, with a nervous smile. "**Was that lame shirt your favourite, or something?**"

Shigeo took a step forward, but there was still no power from him. Even when Dimple knocked him over.

"**DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION?!**" Dimple roared, jabbing his finger into my brother's forehead. "**WHY AREN'T YOU TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY? I COULD END THIS WITH A JAB OF MY FINGER!**"

"That's true," Mob agreed. "But… you wouldn't do that. If I want to talk to Dimple, then power is nothing but an obstacle."

Dimple's finger crumbled up.

"I trust you, Dimple," Mob said, smiling.

"Trust?" Dimple asked, frowning. "Why?"

"Because you let me know what you think of my shirt," Mob replied. "That's when I realised… you are Dimple."

Dimple frowned. "Uh, no, that doesn't really explain anything. You're seriously gonna let me go?! I'm a dangerous evil spirit!"

"You aren't dangerous, Dimple," Mob said. "You just got a little carried away. It happens to everyone… probably… that's what Master Reigen said."

"You're wrong," Dimple replied. "The timing was right to take action with a plan of my own devising. I gained self-confidence, reinforced by my calculated efforts. Don't lump me in with all the folks who are just 'caught up in the moment'."

"I got carried away too," Mob agreed, "so I understand. I was awfully caught up in the moment. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean, sorry?" Dimple asked.

"I was so carried away that I didn't listen to you, Dimple," Mob answered. "When you asked me to take part in your plan, I should've listened to you properly. I was so obsessed with being popular I overlooked some things… I'm sorry, Dimple. You wanted me to be apart of your dream… that was the most important thing. You weren't doing bad things. You were just doing what you wanted to. Together with me. You trusted me before I trusted you, Dimple. Thank you."

"Hey, quit that," Dimple said, looking away. "Don't just decide for yourself how I was feeling. That's so creepy, I'm getting goosebumps."

"He's right," I said, standing up. "I never liked you... but I put up with you for my brother's sake. And… you're not that bad of a guy... sometimes."

"Tell me what you want to do," Mob said. "I'll hear you out, as your friend."

Dimple smiled. "Shigeo, you're an amazing guy."

Light filtered through the tree branches. I felt myself smiling as well.

Dimple sighed. "Ha… I give up. The townspeople… I'll stop messing with their heads. And I'll erase their memories of the Psycho Helmet Cult. Then everyone will be themselves again. When the source of worship energy disappears, this divine power will be lost. I'll go back to how I was, too."

"Are you okay with that?" Mob asked. "Even though it was your dream to become a god?"

"I'm giving up because your weak-ass argument convinced me to!" Dimple shouted.

"Oh, I see.." Mob said, looking at his shoes.

Dimple grinned, then began to laugh. "Come on, let's go home."

"I'll see you there," I said, before blacking out. I blame the amount of power in there.


	32. Back to school

It was all over.

I didn't remember anything when I finally woke up, but for some reason… I felt sad. The type of sadness you feel when someone has died. I saw Shigeo in my room, putting some food on my bedside table.

"Shigeo?" I asked, sitting up.

My brother's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're awake. Thank goodness."

"What happened?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"To be honest, I don't really remember," Shigeo said. "It's all fuzzy."

"Yeah…" I said, tapping the side of my head. "Same here."

I scowled. I felt a metaphorical hole in my heart. Shigeo had a sad smile on his face, which made me even more suspicious.

"Where's Dimple?" I asked.

Shigeo went tense. "Not here at the moment."

"Hmm," I gave him a look. "You're lying to me."

Shigeo turned his head in the opposite direction. "Rest some more. Don't worry, sis."

He left the room, leaving me with my tray of food. I began to chow down on my ramen, and then it hit me:

The tree was gone. Shigeo had lifted it into the air and chucked it into the sea. Not only him, but Dimple was gone too. Dimple had sacrificed himself to save us. To save the entire world.

I felt a tear trickle down my cheek.

I'd never been fond of Dimple, but… that didn't mean I wanted him gone. He made my brother happy, and that was all that mattered to me. And despite all the times he'd called me the 'crazy girl', I was going to miss him. I was going to miss that stupid nickname too.

"Oh, Shigeo…" I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

Being a 2nd-year student meant I didn't have to worry about all of that entrance exam crap. But Joshua certainly did. He had his hands in his green hair, and sweat dripping down his cheeks.

"I'm not ready," he said, pacing around the music room.

"Here he goes again," Daizō sighed, sitting beside me on the stage.

"Hey, c'mon, man," Josh folded his arms. "This is gonna be you next year. Arashi too."

I looked away, feeling awkward.

"Well, I won't be walking around in circles like you are," Daizō said.

Josh tilted his head. "How do you know that?"

"Because… I'm not like you," Daizō said, blushing.

"Or are you?" Josh asked, walking over to him. Daizō's face grew even more red as he looked away.

"You jerk," he huffed, almost like a tsundere.

Josh cackled, like he was pretending to be a witch. He turned his attention to me.

"You're awfully quiet," he said, frowning. "Are you okay, Arashi?"

My mind was clouded with the thoughts of the music school. I still hadn't made my mind up about whether or not I wanted to go there. Every time I thought about it, I felt a little sick. I wanted to go there more than anything, but I didn't want to leave my family behind. Everything I'd done had been with my family... and friends, for that matter. But if I went to the school, for the first time, I'd be all alone. I didn't want to be alone. That was one of my greatest fears.

"I…" I coughed. "Well… I…"

"HEY!"

Onigawara burst into the room, causing Josh to trip over himself. Daizō covered his mouth, and I heard his giggles coming out in short breaths.

"There you are," Onigawara said, glaring at me as he always did.

"Do you always have to burst in like that?" I sighed.

"Get over here," he said, ignoring my questions… as he always did.

"Say please," I told him.

He replied with the finger, then stormed out of the room.

"I'll see you guys later," I said, standing up. I stared down at Joshua, who looked like he was having a midlife crisis.

"I'll handle it," Daizō told me, kneeling beside his crush. He was still blushing.

I left the room, seeing Onigawara hanging out in the hallways. He glared at me.

"Nice to see you too," I said. "Whaddya want?"

He was oddly quiet. For some reason he was sweating.

"Well?" I asked. "Lost all your brain cells already?"

"Shut up," he grumbled, making a fist. "Look, I just wanted to know if… if you…" He scowled. "Ah, screw it! Look, meet me at Ankle Part… on New Years Eve. And if you don't show up, I'll kill you!"

"Why?" I asked.

"Just be there!" he yelled, before storming off. For some reason, I noticed he was blushing.

"What's going on with him?"

I turned around, facing Ritsu. My brother had a curious look on his face.

"No idea," I shrugged. "He wants me to go Ankle Park on New Years Eve."

Ritsu's face darkened. "It's not a date, is it?"

I rolled my eyes. "Playing the overprotective big brother, are you?"

Ritsu didn't look like he was joking. "Arashi, that guy is a bad influence."

"Oh, come on," I shrugged. "A few weeks ago, you thought exactly the same thing about me."

Ritsu's expression turned to that of a guilty puppy. "Well… maybe, but… it's different now. You're my little sister. I have to look out for you."

"We're only a few months apart in age," I pointed out.

"You're too stubborn," Ritsu said, shaking his head. "You're gonna get yourself into trouble."

"Who says I already haven't?" I replied, mischievously.

Ritsu sighed. "Just… be careful, okay?"

I sighed. I suppose I couldn't be too hard on Ritsu. For a long time, I was over-protective of Shigeo.

"Anyway, anything interesting happening?" I asked.

Ritsu shrugged. "The Telepathy Club got disbanded… again. Tome herself disbanded the club."

"Tragic," I deadpanned.

"However, after she left, the remaining members actually managed to find a real telepath," Ritsu replied. "Surprisingly enough, it's the guy that got their club disbanded in the first place. So the club is going to go out and find an alien or two for Tome."

"Are aliens even real?" I asked.

"Not sure," Ritsu admitted. "But who knows? Shigeo is helping them, so they might actually find something."

"When are they going alien-hunting?" I asked.

"Not sure," Ritsu shugged. "I didn't stay long enough to find out."

"Alright," I said. "Thanks, bro."

He walked away, leaving me to my misdeeds. Then a thought occurred to me.

_Wait… did Onigawara ask me out on a date?!_

* * *

"Heard you're going alien hunting," I said, running over to my brother as he left the school. We walked past the gates, going onto the familiar streets.

He nodded. "I guess Ritsu told you. We're trying to invite Tome along, but she keeps denying us."

"Seriously?" I asked. "I thought she was all over this alien stuff."

Shigeo shrugged. "This is all for her. I guess… we have to keep asking until she agrees."

We walked in silence for a bit. It was slightly peaceful, actually.

"When is this alien hunting thing, anyway?" I asked.

"New Years Eve," Shigeo answered. "Do you want to come along?"

"I can't," I said, shaking my head. "I've got a 'date', apparently."

"A… date?" Shigeo asked, raising his brow.

"Well, I'm not totally sure if it's a date, but…" I looked away. "A… uh, friend wants to… hang out with me on New Years Eve."

"Wow, I'm happy for you, sister," Shigeo said, smiling at me. "Whether or not it's a date, I'm sure you'll have fun."

"Thanks," I chuckled. "Ritsu was trying to be overprotective."

"He doesn't want you to get hurt," Shigeo said, gently. "And… neither do I."

"Don't you start, Shigeo," I joked, lightly punching his shoulder. "I'm the one who's protective of you. I'm tempted to come along with you to make sure you don't get abducted by aliens."

"That won't happen," Shigeo said, sweat-beading. "You just… go on your date and have fun. Don't worry about me, sister."

I sighed. "Alright. But we're definitely gonna hang out on New Years Day. Me, you, Teru, Ritsu - all of us."

Mob nodded. "Of course."

I gave him a smile, and we continued talking about general stuff. So many times, I wanted to bring up the whole music school thing, but I toned it down. That, or I couldn't bring myself to say it. I didn't want to think about it. Not yet, not now.


	33. A date with the extra terrestrial

Was I really going on a date with Onigawara? I had no idea. I wasn't even sure what I was supposed to wear, so I just threw on my Paranormal Investigation shirt (product placement, what can I say?), a large jacket (it was pretty cold) and plain jeans. I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror. My short, red hair was the same as always. I re-adjusted the bow clip holding up one of my ponytails, and decided to head out. I guess I'd have to wait and see if I was 'hot stuff'.

You probably already guessed that I'm not great with romance. That whole Joshua thing tore our band apart. But then again, it wasn't _confirmed_ that I was going out with Onigawara, right? We were (excuse the friendzoning) 'just friends'.

Who was I attracted to, anyway?

Mob had already left to go and summon aliens, and Ritsu was going over to his friend's house.

"Good luck, okay?" Ritsu told me. "Tell me if he tries anything."

I rolled my eyes. "Like I'd let him. Get out of here."

Ritsu patted my shoulder. "Happy New Year, little sister."

"Happy New Year to you too," I said.

And then we hugged. We split apart, both sharing a big grin.

"If you see him, say good luck to Shigeo for me," I said.

Ritsu nodded. "Same to you."

I left around mid-afternoon, catching the train to Ankle Park. I spent the entire ride anxiously tapping my feet together. Normally, Onigawara didn't scare me at all, but if it really was a date…

What would I do? Freak out…? Accidentally set a tree on fire?

I got off the train and headed over to Ankle Part, hugging myself. It was quite chilly out, even beneath my jacket. I sat on a park bench, staring at the trees. Thanks to Winter, most of their leaves were gone. I sighed. I really hate cold weather. It's freezing all the time and it chills you down to the bone. And you can't go to the beach, either.

But hey, maybe that's because I'm flaming hot.

"Hey," a voice said. "You came."

I looked up, seeing Onigawara. Like me, he was wearing a snow jacket. He also had his usual pompadour, sneer, and bandages on his cheek.

"'Sup," I replied, casually.

He sat next to me. "Not much. Happy New Year."

"Not quite yet," I said. "Wait 'til midnight."

Onigawara rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I go to bed before midnight, so…"

"Do you?" I asked. "Mr. Bad Boy's got a bedtime?"

Onigawara blushed. "Shut up. I have trouble sleeping sometimes, okay?"

"I feel you," I sighed. I coughed. "So, why did you want to meet me here anyway?"

Onigawara looked away. "Because… isn't that what… friends do, or something…?"

"Is this a date?" I asked.

His face went red. "No way! I mean- no, I mean…"

"Are you into me?" I asked.

Onigawara covered his face with a hand. "I…!"

I smiled at him. "Well… I don't think you're all that bad, either. I'm not good with this romance crap, but…"

"You stuck up for me, dammit all," Onigawara cursed. "Not many people have done that. Not even…"

"That girl who wanted to marry you?" I finished. "Look, buddy, it's not a big deal. I stick up for my brothers all the time. And my friends, too."

"You ain't like other people," he added. "I don't know… I actually kinda like hanging out with you… and I got pissed off when you were dating that green-haired guy…"

"You mean _jealous_," I corrected. "I didn't actually like him. He liked me. I only went out with him because… I felt bad for him."

"Seriously?" Onigawara asked. "Doesn't sound like you."

"Josh is one of my first friends," I said. "He's the leader of my band. I felt like I owed something to him. Without him, Paranormal Investigation wouldn't exist."

Onigawara shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. You suck up to him."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not sucking up to him. Though… I guess it's my fault that the band broke up… I really shouldn't have done that…"

"You're back together now, right?" Onigawara asked.

"Obviously," I said. "We managed to sort it out. But… that wasn't really the biggest… thing that happened to our band…"

"That Miko chick?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah," I coughed. "Her."

I was still annoyed she was hanging around Reigen and his psychic agency, but she seemed to be more tolerable now. But I wasn't going to forgive her for what she'd done, ever. I hoped karma would come and collect her debt, eventually.

"Wanna… do something?" Onigawara asked. I looked away. I realised my expression must've gone stone cold.

"Uh, sure," I said. "What do you want to do?"

"Not go on one of those cheesy boats back there," Onigawara huffed. "Let's do something cooler."

'Something cooler' included walking around the park for a while, before we headed over to some old arcade. Even though it was pretty old-fashioned, we had a lot of fun there. We played some generic race car game, which became pretty intense once I declared whoever lost had to buy the winner an ice-cream. I won (of course), so that's how I ended up with a strawberry-cheesecake cone.

Onigawara kept grumbling to himself as I laughed and licked my ice-cream.

"You snooze, you lose," I told him.

"You were cheating," he grunted.

"Was not," I argued. "I was just too good for you!"

"Yeah right," he snorted.

We continued our walk through the town, still teasing each other. I couldn't get the smile off my face. I hadn't had this much fun in a long time! It was nice to spend time with a friend. For a moment, everything seemed… good.

_If you go to the music school, you'll never get moments like these again_, a voice in my head said.

_You won't see him or your brothers for a long time_, another added.

My smile slowly vanished.

"What's wrong?" Onigawara asked, noticing my face.

"Nothing," I replied, looking away.

"Don't give me that crap," Onigawara said, crossing his arms. "Something's been bothering you. I can tell."

"Can you?" I asked, raising a brow.

He kept staring at me.

"Look, it's just… some personal stuff," I said, clenching my fists. "It doesn't matter."

His stare hardened. "You sure?"

"Yeah," I said. "I'm sure."

Onigawara tilted his head. "Fine, whatever. So, as I was saying…"

But then I tuned out. I could sense… something big coming. It was psychic energy, but nothing like I'd felt before. It was… extraterrestrial.

_No way,_ I thought. _It can't be… I thought they were kidding... _

"Hey, hello?" Onigwara waved his hand in front of my face. "You there?"

"What is that…" I breathed. "I've never…"

"Huh?" Onigawara asked.

My body went still. _Shigeo... _

"Sorry, I gotta go," I told Onigawara. "I'll see you next year!"

"Wha- hey!" Onigawara shouted, as I dashed off. "ISN'T NEXT YEAR IN A FEW HOURS?! ARASHI, COME BACK!"

But I didn't have time to go back. Aliens were coming.

And my brother was going to face them head-on.

* * *

I was beginning to understand how I'd done well in the marathon.

I'd pretty much bolted all the way to a mountain (okay, _maybe_ I caught a train or two), drawn towards the psychic energy flying into the sky. It was almost a beautiful sight: bright, white lights piercing through the clouds, lighting up the moon. I've said it before and I'll say it again: psychic powers make for an amazing fireworks show.

Then I saw it: a UFO.

It was a real UFO, like the ones you see in movies. It was floating above the peak of the mountain, which had been cleared of trees thanks to the psychic energy. My trek up the mountain slowed as I took in the sight of the UFO.

_My brother and his friends are dealing with that thing_, I realised. _Oh, crap, what if they get abducted? _

I kept running, reaching the top of the mountain. Ahead of me, I saw a light coming down from the bottom of the UFO.

"Mob!" I shouted.

The light dispersed, revealing a trio of aliens.

_What in the name of… _

The aliens looked like young anime school girls, with large, glittery eyes, skirts, and outfits that vaguely resembled my school uniform. Their head to body ratio was ridiculous, and I found myself asking several questions.

One of them was _is Mob okay?_

"Brother!" I said, reaching my brother and his friends (which seemed to consist of Reigen, Himiko, and the Telepathy Club).

Mob turned and stared at me. "Arashi?"

"Arashi-chan?!" Tome asked, looking at me.

"Tome?!" I yelled.

"What are you doing here?" Reigen asked me.

"What are _you _doing here?!" I asked, returning his stare.

A guy I didn't recognise stared at me. "Uh… who are you?"

"Who are _you_?!" I asked, hands shaking.

"ENOUGH!" Tome yelled over all of us. "We'll have this conversation another time! Right now, we've got other things to deal with!"

She gestured wildly at the aliens, who were staring at us with their large, glittery eyes.

"What the Hell are those things?" I asked.

Tome didn't respond, instead reaching out to one of the aliens.

"They're not hostile, thankfully," said the guy I didn't recognise.

"Seriously, who are you?" I asked him.

"Call me Takenaka," he said, offering a hand. "I'm a telepath."

He gave me a half-smile. He was wearing a hoodie with a black vest, and had messy black hair in front of his face. Just your average middle school student. But then again, us espers aren't known for looking outstanding.

My eyes went wide. "Oh, wait, I remember Mob talking about you… you were in the Telepathy Club, right?"

"Yeah," Takenaka nodded. "Well, it's a kind of a long story, but yeah. Long story short, I'm a telepath. What about you?"

"I'm Arashi," I replied, shaking his hand. "Mob's younger sister."

"Wow, you don't look like him at all," Takenaka said, rather intelligently.

"Well, we're not related by blood," I replied, biting my lip.

"Are you two serious?" Tome asked, staring at us. "I said save your meet and greet for later!"

"Hey, c'mon," I crossed my arms. "It'd be rude of me not to introduce myself."

"And you, Takenaka-san," Tome turned her attention to her former clubmate. "You're the one who can understand aliens, right? So… tell me what they're saying!"

Takenaka turned to the aliens, frowning curiously. One of the aliens gestured for us to follow it.

"They want to show us the inside of the spaceship," he translated.

"Seriously?" I asked. "Isn't this, like, stranger danger, or something?"

"Believe it or not, she has a point," Reigen said.

"Yeah!" some of the other members of the Telepathy Club cheered. "Whoohoo!"

"They're all going to get bundled into a van one day," I muttered.

Mob turned and stared at me. "How did you find us, sister?"

"The amount of psychic energy you were releasing was insane," I told him. "Trust me, even a normal person would've been able to see it. I couldn't ignore it, no way."

"She's right," Himiko agreed.

"You," I glared at her. "How dare you think you can still hang around my-"

And then, before I knew it, we were all floating up into the spaceship.

"CRAP!" I cursed. "I DIDN'T MEAN TO-"

And then we were inside the ship. To my disappointment, it wasn't bigger on the inside like I thought it would be. In fact, it reminded me a lot of…

"Our club room," Tome said, staring at the messy table the aliens were seated at.

"Of all the things…" I sighed. "Man, I gave up on my date with Onigawara for this."

We all sat down at the table with the aliens. It was like we were at a diner or something, rather than in an alien spaceship.

"So, they are like, super friendly, huh?" asked one of the members of the Telepathy Club, who was blond. "I thought they would be a bit scarier." He turned to Tome. "President, it was your dream to communicate with extraterrestrials, right? With Takenaka as your interpreter, this is your chance to talk to them!"

"Yeah, that could probably work," Takenaka said, sweating.

"Oh, you're right!" Tome coughed. "Um… uh… I…" She blushed. "I got nothing."

"Aw, what…" said the blonde guy, waving a hand. "After we came all this way."

"Don't feel pressured," Himiko said, giving Tome a smile.

"Let's play video games instead!" the blonde guy cheered.

"Good idea!" Tome exclaimed. "Let's show them how to play!"

And that was how we spent the next few hours playing video games with aliens. Trust me, when you're a psychic, extremely weird things tend to happen.

Before we knew it, it was the start of a new year. In fact, it was already the morning.

"Whoa, it's almost the new morning," said another Telepathy Club guy. "Better head home soon!"

"What?!" asked another.

"You're right," said the blonde guy. "Well, I guess we are pretty much best friends by now! Even the red-haired girl who showed up randomly!"

"Hey!" I grumbled. Though, I couldn't be too angry: after all, I'd gotten the chance to mess around with aliens like we were old schoolmates. Surprisingly, I got on better with them than some students back at school.

The aliens offered us a magical glowing rock.

"A glowing rock?" Tome asked, holding it. "It's beautiful."

"It's a token of friendship, they say," Takenaka said.

"They're staring at us," said the blond guy, giving the aliens a wary look. "Doesn't it seem like they want something in return?"

Before we knew it, we were all giving presents to the aliens. Never too late for Christmas, I suppose.

"Hmm…" I pulled the hair clip out of my hair. "I know it kinda sucks, but… it's all I've really got."

I handed it to the aliens, which luckily, they seemed to like. Well, considering they liked the atrocious design of Reigen's pajamas, it seemed they weren't very fussy.

Tome walked over and hugged one of the aliens.

"So, we'll be going now," she said. "Hopefully we'll meet again someday!"

We were returned to the Earth, where we got a beautiful view of the sunset.

"Amazing…" I gawked, standing alongside Mob as we watched it set. It truly was going to be a great new year.

_You still haven't made a choice_, a voice echoed at the back of my head.

_Not now_, I thought. _Just let me enjoy the new year. _

_You only have three months left to choose, _the voice hissed. _You can't hide from it forever, Arashi. Will you abandon your family or not?_

_Stop_, I thought, trying to admire the sunset. _Just let me live, dammit._

* * *

_I have to do it,_ I decided. _I have to talk to my brothers about this._

That's right, I was steeling myself up to talk to my brothers about the music school situation. I'd been hiding it away for too long, and I really needed to say something. They were my family, after all. They were going to be affected more than anyone else.

Unfortunately, my words failed me. During the whole walk to school, I couldn't bring myself to say it. Shigeo seemed content, and I didn't want to dampen his positive attitude.

_You're making excuses_, the voice in my head taunted. _Always the same excuses. _

_No, I, just... damn it._ That voice in my head knew me too well. _Because, in the end, it was just me. _

"Are you okay, sister?" Mob asked me, reaching out.

"I'm fine," I said, grinning at him. I realised I'd gotten a bit taller. Mob wasn't a particularly tall person, so by the time my 14th rolled around, I'd be taller than him for sure.

Mob tilted his head. "Okay, Arashi."

Thank the gods for his easy-going nature. Ritsu wasn't quite the same; he was much more protective. As we walked into school, I gave him a wave and sent him on his way. I tried to hold up my head, only to run into Onigawara.

"Hey, you!" he snapped. "What was the deal on New Years Eve? You said-"

"Oh, look, I've got karate practice," I said, hurriedly. "See ya later, pompadour."

"Wha- hey!" he growled. "Don't you walk away from me!"

I ignored him of course, and continuing my path into school.

_Was that... tsundere-ish of me?_ I wondered. _Oh, Gods... I have to tell him too. _

* * *

Exams. Fun times.

Not.

I groaned, feeling like my brain had been deep-fried. I wasn't even doing them, yet the thought of them did not make me want to jump around like I'd won a million yen. My eldest brother, on the other hand, was going to have to put up with them.

_I can't tell him now_, I thought. _He's all stressed about exams. I can't, I-_

"Arashi, are you okay?" Mob asked me.

_Why are you asking me?!_ I thought.

"Bro, don't worry about me," I said, trying to smile. I sighed. "Okay, you know what? Screw it. Shigeo, there's something I need to... hey, what's with that face?"

"I found out something really bad," he replied, bowing his head.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Tsubomi is leaving the school," he replied.


	34. I tell the truth

"Sister, please," Mob said, grabbing my hand. "I have to… confess to her! Before she leaves! If you have any tips about confessing… please share them!"

I looked away, shrugging. "Sorry, big bro, I'm rubbish at romance. I can't even figure out if I like anyone half the time."

"Oh… I see." Shigeo said, sighing.

I patted him on the shoulder. "Maybe you could try asking some other girls in the school for advice? Not Tome, but, uh… maybe Mezato will know something? Or maybe Tsubomi's friends?"

Shigeo stared at his shoes.

"Maybe not," I said, frowning. "Well, I suppose you could try asking Mezato anyway. If that doesn't work… then I dunno, just confess to her. What do they always say? Be yourself?"

Shigeo stared at me.

"Yeah, my advice is terrible," I said, sighing. "Sorry, bro."

"It's okay, Arashi," Mob said, giving me a smile. "Thanks for trying to help me."

He walked away after that, leaving me to brood with my own thoughts again.

_Dammit, I still can't tell him_, I thought angrily. _What's wrong with me?_

I continued to walk around the school, getting increasingly angrier with myself.

_Stupid_, I scolded. _So stupid. Why can't I say anything to anyone anymore?_

As my trek went on, I noticed a large que, outside the school gym. For some reason, it was full of boys. Brows raised, I followed the que, and then stopped when I saw it was leading towards Tsubomi.

_Seriously…?_ I thought.

Well, I shouldn't have been surprised. Tsubomi was the school's idol, after all.

From what I could tell, Tsubomi was rejecting each of the boys as they came up to her. It was like some kind of factory line.

_Ouch_, I thought. Honestly, I almost pitied her. I'm no men's lady, but it didn't seem like she was having a great time.

"Hi," I said, approaching her.

Tsubomi looked over from rejecting another boy, and gave me a small smile. "Huh…? Oh, hi, Kageyama-san!"

"Looks like you're having fun," I told her.

Tsubomi brushed her hair over her ear, laughing nervously. "Yeah! Uh… yep!"

"I kinda feel bad for you," I admitted. "Do you know any of these guys?"

"Nope," Tsubomi deadpanned.

"Ouch," I grimaced.

"Hey, karate girl!" some boys yelled. "Stop talking to her! We were first!"

"Shut up!" I retorted, flipping them off.

The boys looked like they wanted to start a fight, but Tsubomi raised a hand, instantly calming them down. It was like some kind of black magic.

"Don't worry about them," Tsubomi sighed. "You know what boys are like."

"That's right," I agreed. "They're like me."

Tsubomi gave me an odd look, before laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Nothing," Tsubomi said. "It's just… I haven't met a lot of people like you."

I wondered what she meant by that.

"You think I'm eccentric?" I asked.

"Maybe a little," Tsubomi winked.

I wasn't even sure if she was complimenting me or not. These days, I wasn't sure of much of anything.

"Hey, uh," I coughed. "You know… my brother? Shigeo?"

"Mob?" Tsubomi asked. "Oh, yes! What about him?"

"Just…." I wanted to tell her the truth about Mob's feelings, but if I did that, I'd ruin it for Mob himself. I couldn't do everything for Mob. He needed to get out there and achieve some things for himself, as well.

"Keep an eye out for him," I said, giving her a wink. I then walked away, once again left to brood.

* * *

Something felt wrong.

Maybe it was because I still hadn't talked about the whole music school thing. Maybe it was because I couldn't figure out whether I had fallen in love or not. Maybe I was just worried about my brother (as always).

I paced around in my bedroom, clinging onto Kumo like it was a life-line. My stomach felt tight, and my teeth were tightly gritted.

_Calm down_, I told myself. _You'll set something on fire._

I took a deep breath, sitting down on my bed. I absentmindedly strummed Kumo.

"At least I'll still have you with me," I said, looking at the small ukulele.

_But you won't have them._

I flinched.

_You have to make a choice._

I thought of all the memories with my family. Breaking into the LOL Cult, fighting Claw, fighting my dad… saving the world.

But not just that. All the times my brother and I had been to my favourite noodle bar, just spending time together. They were simple, but those moments meant everything to me. If I left, I'd never get to experience them again.

I slumped down, feeling my eyes water.

_Dammit… don't start… _

_"Come on, Mob!" a young Takane giggled. "Get a clue already!"_

_"Hey!" I snapped. "Leave him alone!"_

_"Why do you stick up for him?" a boy asked. "It's not like he does anything back for you."_

_I slapped him and ran away, taking Mob with me._

_"He's right," Mob said. "Arashi… why do you stick up for me?"_

_"You're my brother," I said. "And you saved my life! I owe you everything!"_

_"But… I'm just some kid who can't share his emotions…" Mob said._

_"It's because of your psychic powers, silly," I giggled. "They're all inside you, so they're still there! And besides, you are amazing. You're way more amazing than any of those guys back there."_

_"Really?" Mob asked._

_"Really," I said. "And it doesn't matter if they're mean to you. Because no matter what, I'll be with you."_

_But I can't do that anymore, _I thought, dejectedly. Not if I go away.

_"That was dangerous, little sister," a voice said, breaking through my nausea. Someone helped me stand up. "You shouldn't go flying around like that."_

_I almost choked on my own spit._

_"Shigeo," I said, staring at my big brother. Tears fell from my eyes. "I… I'm…"_

_"Let's go to your favourite noodle bar," Shigeo told me. "We haven't been there for a while."_

_I began to sob. I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him like he was going to disappear._

_"I'm sorry," I whimpered._

_Shigeo hugged me back, not saying anything. We stayed like that for a few moments._

_"Noodle bar," I said._

_Shigeo nodded. "Let's go."_

_Not again, _I thought. _Make it stop! _

_"No more distractions," she growled. She glared down at Shigeo. "Time for you to die."_

_"Shigeo!" I screamed._

_Himiko raised her arms. Shigeo tried to move, but he was trapped. Himiko prepared to destroy him in one move._

_"NO!" I roared. Just as she unleashed her energy, I stood in front of him._

I shook off the memory. My brain was tormenting now.

No. It was telling me I had to be honest.

I stood up, fists clenched. I had to do this.

"Ritsu?" I called, leaving my room. "Are you there?"

What? For life-changing stuff like this, ironically enough I found Ritsu easier to talk to about it.

Ritsu emerged out of his room, giving me a look. "Arashi? What is it?"

"So," I put my arms behind my back. "I kinda need to talk to you about something. I've been… having trouble making a decision for a while now."

"What is it?" Ritsu asked, giving me a sympathetic look. I appreciated it. Ritsu was a caring person, despite everything. He was protective, formal, but still loving. I regretted despising him for so long.

"You heard of this school?" I asked, showing him my phone.

* * *

"You need to tell Shigeo about this."

"I know, I know, it's just…"

Ritsu gently grabbed my shoulder. "Arashi, that school will be a great experience for you. I definitely think it's worth going. You shouldn't let worrying about Shigeo and myself stop you from attending it."

"Yeah, but…" I made a fist. "How do I tell Shigeo?"

"I'll go with you," Ritsu told me. "Come on, let's talk to him now."

I nodded, and we went to find Shigeo. He was in the living room, talking to someone on the phone.

"Alright, I'll see you then…" he said. "Thank you. Goodbye."

He hung up the phone, and turned to face us.

"Brother, sister," he greeted.

"Nii-san," Ritsu returned the greeting. He put a hand on my shoulder. "Our little sister wants to speak to you."

"What about?" Mob asked, turning to me.

"Well…" my throat squeaked, "so… um… a little while ago, I spoke to my real mom… you remember that?"

Shigeo nodded.

"Well… she offered me something," I said, forcing myself to continue. "She said, for a birthday gift, she would allow me to attend a really big music school over in Tokyo."

Shigeo nodded again.

"But it's a boarding school, and I'd be there for quite a while," I continued. "Which means… if I go, you won't see me for a long time."

"And you… are going?" Mob asked, his tone slightly shaky.

"I am," I confirmed, straightening my features.

Mob went silent for a moment, his figure trembling.

_Oh, God,_ I thought. _Is he gonna go 100%?_

Then he looked up, grinning wide.

"Congratulations, sister," he said. "I am happy for you."


	35. But he lied

Long story short: Mob lied. (And maybe I lied too.)

No, that didn't mean Shigeo wasn't happy for me. Shigeo had always been supportive of me. He was a good brother that way. Even when I acted like a delinquent and caused trouble, he still stayed by my side. A lot of other people would walk away, but not Shigeo. And in my opinion, that made him the best brother in the world (sorry Sho, Ritsu).

Still, I suppose not even Mob can hide his true feelings forever. He's only human, after all.

You're probably wondering what on Earth I'm going on about.

Well, the story started off normally. After telling Shigeo about my plans to go to the music school (yes, I took my time with it - I was nervous, okay?), Shigeo told us (Ritsu and myself - Ritsu may or may not have been giving me some confidence) that he was going to finally confess his feelings to his long-time crush, Tsubomi.

"Smart thinking of you to get her all alone," I told him.

He smiled at me. "Thanks, sis."

I looked away, feeling tears burning my eyes.

"Y'know, you've really changed, Shigeo," I told him, my voice tearful. "You've made lots of new friends, and you're becoming independent… so, I think you'll be just fine without me here."

"What about me?" Ritsu asked.

"You've always been mature, Ritsu," I told him, rolling my eyes. "But still, I expect you to keep an eye on Mob."

"Of course," Ritsu nodded.

Mob bowed. "Thank you, sister."

"Go get 'em, tiger," I said, giving him a grin. "Go and tell Tsubomi how you feel."

"Thank you!" Mob said, waving to Ritsu and myself as he walked down the hall, preparing to leave the house.

"Don't beat up Tsubomi if she rejects him, Arashi," Ritsu warned me. He gave me a small smirk. "At least, not without me."

I gave him a smirk. "Depends if there's any of her left after I'm done with her."

After Mob left, I was preparing myself to discuss the whole issue with my other friends (i.e my band). Unfortunately, me leaving meant the band would have to disband, which put a big hole in my heart, but…

"I… I'm gonna have to tell my bandmates," I told Josh. "And my club…" I laughed. "Y'know, maybe I can reinstate Onigawara as president when I leave."

"What about the rest of the school?" Ritsu asked. "Actually, forget that. What about Mom and Dad?"

"Oh, they already know," I replied.

Ritsu stared at me blankly.

"Don't look at me like that!" I exasperated. "I had to tell them, obviously! I'm going to be leaving!"

"You told Mom and Dad before us?" Ritsu asked.

"Sho knows as well," I said, putting my hands behind my back.

"For crying out loud…" Ritsu sighed, face-palming.

"Hey, my biological mother told him, not me," I retorted.

"Just go and tell everyone," Ritsu said, shaking his head.

"I will, I will…" I said, waving my hands.

* * *

Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to. This is where things took a weird turn.

So, I decided to meet up with Josh and Daizō to discuss the whole school situation. As well as that, I had my parents (finally) tell Salt Middle School that I was officially leaving. (Yes… I was _that_ nervous.) Of course, that meant I was going to have to tell the entire school, but I knew I'd have to eventually.

I headed on over to the train station to catch the train to Josh's house. As I waited for the train, I tried to control my breathing.

_This is it_, I thought, staring at the rails. _This is the choice I'm going to make. I'm happy with this choice. This is what I want. Breathe, Arashi. _

Oh well, at least it was peaceful. Well… it _was_, until all of a sudden, a bunch of people showed up out of nowhere, screaming and running for their lives.

"Everyone, evacuate the area immediately!" a group of police yelled, using megaphones.

I raised my brow. _What the Hell is going on?!_

I raced over to the group of police officers.

"Excuse me," I raised my voice, "but what's going on?!"

"Reports of a boy destroying residential area around Salt Block and Pepper Street have been coming in," a police man replied. "In fact, he is destroying the entire city. He is incredibly dangerous, and is showing no signs of stopping. Please get to safety as quickly as possible!"

Then I felt it. The ground trembling beneath my feet. The surge of psychic energy I knew all too well.

"Shigeo," I breathed.

"Miss, please evacuate immediately," the police man told me.

"So, this boy," I stared at him. "He's in Pepper Street, right?"

The police man frowned. "Yes, but-"

"Sorry," I said, ducking away. "I've got a brother to save."

"Miss!" the police man shouted. "Don't run in that direction!"

I ignored him, charging straight ahead. The tremors grew, and I picked up my speed.

_Don't worry, Shigeo_, I thought. _I'm coming._

* * *

The police weren't lying about the whole 'destroyed' thing.

The whole city looked like Godzilla himself had gone through it. Straight through the centre was a massive pathway carved through the ground. The road had been cut up into pieces of rubble, and buildings were half-destroyed. Cars had been crushed like nothing. I saw smoke trailing into the sky, and people in a panic.

_Mob, did you really do this…? _I thought.

For a brief second, my heart leapt into my throat. I was terrified. This was how dangerous Shigeo really was.

_No, I have to find my brother,_ I reminded myself. _I have to save him._

I followed the trail of destruction. I kept blinking and pinching myself, not believing that my brother, the kindest person I knew, was responsible for all this. Something a monster would do.

_He's been possessed, or something_, I thought.

_No, you've seen what he can do_, another part of me said. _He's the most powerful esper you've ever met. He could destroy the whole world if he wanted to._

_But that's not something he would do, _I retorted. _He could do it, but he wouldn't. Never. _

_How do you know that? _The voice asked. _Or maybe… he's finally lost control of his powers. He's kept them locked away for so long, and they've come back at last. _

_He would never…_ I replied, clenching my fists.

_You're doubting yourself,_ the voice said. _Of course you are. You've always been scared of him deep down. On the surface, you try to act like the more powerful one, but in reality, you're weak compared to him. You depend on him. But not only that, you depended on his kind nature. And now…_

_Now it's all coming undone. He's lost control of what grounds him. _

_Stop it, _I thought. _You're wrong._

_No, you know I'm right_, the voice said. _No wonder you couldn't tell him the truth for so long. I bet this is why you were scared. This is what you've always been scared of._

_STOP_, I thought, clutching the sides of my head. Fire began to flicker around my form with a burning pain.

_What will he do when you leave? _The voice taunted. _Will he tear apart every friend you've made until you come back? Will you stand idly or will you stop him? No, it's not like you can stop him. _

_I was able to stop Himiko, _I retorted.

_But she's not Shigeo, _the voice said. _She was a girl who was a part of your silly band for a little while. And besides, she's still alive. You couldn't even kill her. _

_I could never kill anyone, _I replied.

_Because you are a coward, _the voice said. _Face it, Arashi: you are a coward. You couldn't let your brother go because you were scared of him losing control. But it's too late now. Your cowardice has turned him into a monster._

_NO, _I screamed, internally.

_It's all your fault_, the voice taunted.

I screamed in the real world, agonising pain coursing through me. Fire built around my form, and I turned into a blazing inferno. I was the fire angel once again, but this time, I couldn't control the storm.

**This is… the end… **

**I am a coward. **

**You will suffer. **

**This is your fault. **

"No… not you too…"

I blinked, turning to see Teruki crawling towards me. He was completely naked, and semi-bald. His body was covered in burn marks. I got some heavy deja-vu from when I first met him.

**Everything is burning. **

"Arashi… please…" he pleaded. "Control it…!"

I blinked, forcing myself to re-open my eyes. The fire began to simmer down, just slightly.

**Coward…**

"Teruki…" I whispered, fire choking my lungs.

**Liar.**

"Wake up, Arashi…!" he shouted, getting onto his two feet. "Your brother is out of control, and you're the only one who can save him! Because if you can't…" he laughed. "Then no one can."

**Monster.**

"Shigeo…" I thought of my brother again.

**This is all your fault.**

"The world needs a hero!" Teruki shouted. "It has to be you, Arashi Kageyama!"

…

"A hero…?" I asked, the fire burning bright.

"Sister!" another voice called out.

Familiar. Warm.

It was my twin brother, Sho Suzuki. He was wearing a skeleton shirt, and had concern all over his face.

"Sho…?" I asked.

"What happened to you?!" Sho asked, eyes wide.

**Demon.**

"My fault…" I whispered.

"She's losing control of her powers, just like Shigeo is," Teruki answered.

Sho gave him a weird look. "Who the Hell are you? And why are you naked?"

"Doesn't matter right now," Teruki panted. "You have to help Arashi-chan!"

**This is the end.**

"Sister…" Sho turned towards me, desperation in his eyes. "Please, just…" He spat on the ground. "Snap out of it! You're acting like our piece-of-shit dad!"

I felt my heart skip a beat.

… **hero… **

"No, screw that!" Sho shouted. "You're acting like that Himiko girl!"

"I'm not… like her…" I growled, clenching my fists until my nails drew blood.

**Hero…**

"Are you sure about that?" Sho asked. "Because you're acting a lot like her!"

"NO!" my voice boomed. "I'M A HERO!"

**SAVE THE WORLD.**

Everything shuddered. I raised my fists, the fire obeying my will. I was back in control. I was the fire angel, Arashi Kageyama.

"**I WILL SAVE HIM**," I boomed.


	36. The Return of the Fire Angel

It took a lot of work to maintain all that power. After all, I was still getting used to it. I hadn't had my powers for a long time. Not since I was very young. And even if my memory hadn't been erased, would I still remember…?

I could understand why Mob had so much trouble controlling his own power. It was difficult, tricky stuff.

But that didn't matter. Right at that moment, all that mattered was saving my brother. The Fire Angel had saved the world before, and she would do it again.

"Arashi…" Teruki breathed, staring up at me.

"Sister," Sho said, clenching his fists.

"**Go to safety**," I told them. "**Let me handle this.**"

Teruki babbled incomprehensibly, before running off with a brief nod. Sho hesitated, before walking over to me.

"I'll have your back, sis," he told me. "We're in this together, right?"

I found myself smiling at him. "**Of course.**"

"By the way, Dad is fighting your brother now," Sho explained. "That Himiko girl is there too. Though, by the time we get there, she might've been knocked out."

"**We don't have any time to lose**," I replied. I felt my fiery wings spread out behind me. For once, I did feel completely in control of my power. I felt… all-powerful. I hadn't felt like this since the fight with Himiko.

It made me feel like a god.

And here I was again, ready to save the world one last time… and bring my big brother back to Earth.

"Right," Sho agreed.

And we took off, ready to fight Shigeo.

* * *

It really was a mess.

The city was in bits and business. The road was torn up, and buildings had fallen on their sides. It wasn't the first time this had happened, but it was still horrifying to observe.

_This is what psychic powers can do_, I realised. _That's why I need to stop this._

I narrowed my eyes. I could sense his power from a mile away. As I flew through the city, citizens stopped to stare and gawk at me. I didn't pay them any mind, until I saw…

"**Josh…?**" I asked. "**Daizō?**"

My friends were holding onto each other, staring up at me with awe in their eyes. It looked like they were in the middle of some kind of close moment. Josh's face lit up with a smile, and he waved at me. Daizō joined in.

I waved at them, then continued flying. I spotted Ritsu standing on top of a building, surveying the damage.

"**Ritsu!**" I shouted.

My brother turned to stare at me.

"Arashi?" he asked, raising his brow.

"**Shigeo…**" I said, gesturing to the destruction.

"I know, sis," Ritsu replied. "But what happened to you?"

"**I'm going to save our brother**," I told him.

Ritsu stared at me. "All by yourself?"

"**Of course**," I said. **"I've always feared Shigeo's power, but… this time I have to come face to face with it. If I can do it with Himiko, I can do it with him.**"

Ritsu's face shadowed over. "Good luck, sister. Don't get killed, or I won't forgive you."

"**Shigeo wouldn't kill me**," I said, assertively. "**He wouldn't hurt a fly.**"

I couldn't fear my brother anymore. No matter what, he was Shigeo Kageyama, my big brother. And I would bring our happy ending.

I flew down, and then I saw him.

I almost couldn't recognise him. His hair flowed around his face like black tendrils, and his eyes were partly obscured. In a firm grip was a partly-destroyed bouquet of flowers. All around him was an aura of destructive power. It was… unfamiliar. I knew it was Shigeo, but… it felt so wrong. So unfamiliar.

My brother had been taken over by a dark force of some kind… it wasn't him. It was some kind of monster made of power.

"**SHIGEO!**" I boomed, flying in front of him.

He didn't even look up at me, only continuing the move forward. like a robot.

"**Brother, listen to me!**" I yelled. "**You need to regain control of yourself!**"

Shigeo suddenly raised his hand, surrounding me in his dark power. I felt myself being flung aside like a doll. I bared my teeth, slamming into a building.

I scowled, reforming my flaming wings. I flew towards my brother, fire racing all around me.

"**I know you're in there, Shigeo**!" I shouted. "**Control yourself!**"

Shigeo raised his hands, and the earth crumbled beneath my feet. I felt a rush of fear.

"**Shigeo, it's me, Arashi**," I pleaded. "**Your sister. You have to stop all of this! I know you're upset about something, but… we can talk about it. It doesn't have to be like this!**"

Shigeo flinched for a moment, like he was regaining control.

"**Yes, Shigeo!**" I cheered. "**I know you're in there!**"

But the moment was short-lived. Once again, Shigeo used his powers to throw me into a building, smashing all the windows. My entire body screamed in pain. I wiped the blood from my forehead. I thought my legs were going to fall off.

"You're getting better that this," a voice told me.

I looked up, seeing Toichiro Suzuki staring down at me. He offered a hand.

"**You**," I greeted, ignoring his outstretched hand.

"My daughter," he replied, standing back as I stood up. "It's been a while."

"**I don't have time for you**," I grumbled. "**I have to save my brother.**"

"Even with your power, I don't think you'll be enough," my father admitted. "You're powerful, but I've never met anyone like him before. He's an entirely different entity."

"**You don't know shit about him**," I snapped. "**Anyway, you should be in jail.**"

"Long story short, I got out," he replied, shrugging. "But don't waste talking to me, my fire angel. We have to save the world."

"**_I_ have to save the world**," I retorted. "**Not you. And I'm not 'your' fire angel.**"

"No, you're wrong," a voice replied. "You can't do this alone."

I turned around, facing Himiko. Her half-shaved hair was a huge mess as usual, and her clothes were somewhat destroyed. She stood still, fists tightly clenched.

"**You as well?**" I asked, scowling.

"You need us," she said. "We might be criminals, but we're still espers."

"**So you do know what you've done**," I grumbled. "**You're not pretending to be a 'new person' anymore.**"

"You really think we should be having this conversation right now?" Himiko asked, making a face. "Arashi, you can't hold a grudge forever."

"**You're a murderer!**" I yelled.

"Maybe," Himiko said, digging her hands into her pockets, "and perhaps, I'm also your enemy. But for today… just today… let's be friends again. Just for a bit."

I glowered.

"You need us," Himiko said, offering a hand. "Come on."

I slapped her hand away. "**Just for today.**"

Himiko grinned. "That's what I like to hear!"

We returned to the battlefield, facing my brother who was still on his rampage. Well, it wasn't exactly a _rampage_, but he certainly couldn't be stopped so easily. My nails dug into my palms, and my wings grew. The heat around me increased.

"Combine your powers with mine!" Himiko ordered.

She summoned her tendrils. I mixed them with the roar of my flames, summoning a huge, flaming tendril. It raced around Shigeo, pulling him up into the air. The sky was filled with smoke. Shigeo's body tensed.

"**Wait!**" I shouted. "**I don't want to-**"

Suddenly, the tendril exploded, sending flaming pieces of it everywhere, like the world's most dangerous firework. Shigeo floated back down, completely unharmed.

"He… absorbed its power…" Himiko breathed, falling to her knees. "I…"

I looked around at the city. As if it wasn't bad enough, now everything was on fire. Just fantastic.

"Let me help," Toichiro said, stepping forward.

I looked away from him.

"If you can work with Himiko," my father said, "you can work with me."

"**No**," I replied. "**You're my father. You…**"

"Grudges," Himiko interjected, putting a hand on her chest.

I cursed under my breath.

"All together," my father said, raising his fists. "We can stop him. We'll use our powers to keep him still, and then bring him to his knees."

I sighed, really out of options. "**Let's do it.**"

We began our trek towards Shigeo, who still had power flowing around him. I felt shivers crawl down my spine.

"**I don't want to hurt him**," I said. "**No, we can't hurt him.**"

"We're not going to," Himiko said, trying to reassure me (though, considering her, I couldn't take her seriously). "We're going to stop him, so he'll be himself again."

"She's right," Toichiro agreed, but I couldn't really believe him either. He and Himiko were the last people I wanted to work with.

Still, we didn't have much of a choice. The three of us raised our arms, summoning waves of psychic energy. It was enough to shake the whole city. After all, both Himiko and Toichiro were insanely powerful espers, alongside myself. We would be enough to put a stop to my brother, right?

"Now!" Toichiro yelled.

Our power surrounded Shigeo, forcing him to stop. I gritted my teeth. Holy crap, was he hard to keep still. It was like trying to keep water in a leaky dam. His power kept slipping through the wall of power, threatening to spill it out at any moment.

"Just… a little more..." Himiko panted, face covered in sweat.

My father was struggling as well. He fell to his knees, taking in deep breaths.

_Is it enough?_ The voice inside my head asked.

_It has to be_, I replied. _It will be!_

**CRACK**

The dam wall burst open, and we all fell over. Shigeo lifted Himiko into the air, and sent her flying. Toichiro got chucked in the other direction. I was all alone.

Shigeo walked over to me. My wings fizzled out, as his figure loomed above me. My whole body went cold, and the realisation dawned upon me: I was at his mercy. There was nothing I could do to stop him. He could kill me with a single swipe.

"Shigeo…" I whispered, tears slipping down my cheek. "Nii-san, please…"

But he didn't listen to me. He raised his glowing fist…

…

… but it never came. Ritsu had thrown himself in front of me, taking the blow.

"RITSU!" I screamed.

Ritsu fell over, his body completely limp. And then I screamed.

* * *

I'd never felt so much regret.

For so long, Ritsu had been the person I loathed. He was my brother, but he constantly got on my nerves. It seemed we were constantly competing for Shigeo's affections. Deep down, though, I was envious of him. He was Shigeo's biological brother. He'd been with Shigeo since he'd been born. He looked like Shigeo, too, whereas I did not. Nearby them, I looked like a stranger.

But then everything changed. Ritsu and I learned to accept each other, and we really hit it off. Ritsu became a close confidant. He was mellow, and in a weird way, easier to talk to than Mob. Mob was much more aloof, and Ritsu was understanding. I spent a lot of time regretting all of the fights we had. Ritsu had become a close friend, a good brother. He was invaluable, and I wanted to make it up to him.

That was yet another reason why I didn't want to go to that music school: I'd never get the chance to reconcile with Ritsu. Sure, yes, at the present, we were bonding, but there was so much more we had left to do. And it would be hard when I left for another school.

I guess my prayers were answered, since Ritsu was lying on the ground, body unmoving.

"RITSU!" I screamed, racing over to his body.

I shook him, but he still didn't move. I kept shaking him, calling his name over and over...

"Wake up, big bro," I pleaded. "Please…"

I grabbed his limp body, taking him away from Mob's form. I couldn't believe it. Mob had done this, to his own brother. _Our _brother.

"SHIGEO, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!" I demanded, tears streaming down my face, as I cradled Ritsu in my arms.

I had never felt so conflicted… normally, if someone hurt one of my brothers, I'd go after them, but what if the one who hurt one of my brothers _was _one of my brothers? Especially Shigeo? The boy I'd promised never to hurt?

No, I wasn't mad at Shigeo. I was mad at whatever was controlling him.

"**You…**" I growled. "**LET MY BROTHER GO!**"

My wings sprouted behind me as I changed towards the entity that was possessing my brother.

_Ritsu, you saved me_, I thought, clenching my fists. _Despite everything… you saved me. I'm so sorry I couldn't do the same for you… but… you're strong. I know you are. You're one of the strongest people I've ever met…_

_I'm not gonna let your life get thrown away like this… your sacrifice won't be in vain._

"**RITSU!**" I shouted, flying towards Shigeo. He was preparing to blast me away with his power.

"**I know you're in there, Shigeo!**" I yelled. I realised my power was starting to fade.

_I can't stay the Fire Angel forever_, I thought. _But I don't need to. Shigeo doesn't need to see the Fire Angel. He needs to see Arashi Kageyama. He needs to see me._

I landed on the ground, facing the full front of Mob's power. I took a deep breath.

_This is it_, I thought._ I either die… no, I'm not going to die. I'm going to live._

I walked towards Shigeo, holding my arms out. I could tell… he was going to push me away. But I kept going forward.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about the music school earlier," I whimpered. "Is this all my fault? I'm sorry, Shigeo. I'm a coward. That's all there is to it."

I ignored everything else, only focusing on my brother. Behind me, Himiko and my dad had recovered, and were protecting Ritsu's body. In the distance, I saw some of my other friends.

"I'll admit, for a long time, I was scared of you, bro," I said. "I know how powerful you are. I know you can very easily lift this entire city off the ground."

Shigeo twitched, raising his hand.

_Arashi…_

Was that him? Was he… breaking through?

"But you would never do that, would you, Mob?" I asked. "You're too kind. You'd never hurt a fly."

_Please… stay away…_

"You've always been so kind," I told him. "Even towards people who were mean to you. You've been kind to people who don't deserve that kindness. Myself included." I laughed, sadly. "The world doesn't deserve you, Shigeo. I don't, either. Honestly, you and Ritsu… I couldn't ask for better brothers."

_I don't want to hurt you…_

"You've grown up so much these past few months," I said. "Even though you're my older brother, I've always felt like I've had to protect you and look out for you, and… I still do, but I know you can look after yourself as well. You've shown me that you're well-off enough without me."

_Please, just leave…_

"You would never lose yourself, Shigeo," I said, putting a hand over my heart. "I always thought that I was the strong one, but I was wrong. _You're _the strong one, Shigeo. You're the one who's always saving the day. You are the hero_._"

Shigeo's form trembled.

"So, please," I begged, running over to him. "Just come out of there, alive… I miss you! I want you to come back!"

I threw my arms around his neck, hugging his form. I felt myself break down.

"Just come back!" I sobbed. "Please, big bro!"

The energy surrounded my whole body. My skin felt like it was on fire.

_No_, I thought. _Is he going to…?_

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. Ritsu.

"Ritsu…!" I gasped.

"We're in this together," he told me, firmly. His skin was unnaturally pale, but there was a fire in his eyes.

He joined me in the hug. For a brief moment, I forgot all about his death, and just focused on saving Shigeo.

"You're right," I agreed.

I felt Shigeo's figure trembling some more.

_No… please…_

"He's still in there," I told Ritsu.

"I know," Ritsu said. His grip on our brother grew tighter. "Shigeo, I was scared of you as well for a long time. That incident we had when we were kids scarred me, both physically and mentally. But I know you're not a bad person. Arashi knows it. We all know it. You're too good for this world... but we need you anyway!"

"You're strong too," I said, staring at Ritsu.

"This isn't about me right now," Ritsu said, giving me a harsh stare. "It's about Shigeo!"

I nodded, focusing back on the situation at hand.

"Shigeo!" we both yelled.

"Wait, don't forget about me!"

Reigen appeared, Serizawa in the distance. Reigen had his arms crossed.

"You?" I asked, staring back at him.

"I'm Mob's master," he said, spreading his arms. "If anyone can get through to him, it's me."

He walked over to us, staring at my eldest brother.

"Shigeo, it's me," he said, gently. "Don't you remember what I said about using your powers?" He smiled, sadly. "You could really hurt someone."

He joined in on the hug.

"Your siblings are right," he said, putting a hand on Shigeo's shoulder. "You really are amazing." He frowned. "I never had any powers. I'm no psychic. I don't know anything, really." He laughed, mainly to himself. "Everything you've learnt... you've done it all by yourself. That's amazing, Shigeo." He grinned. "So, accept yourself! When the time is right, accept yourself!"

Shigeo trembled some more. We all took a step back, as he fell to his knees.

"I think it's working..." I breathed. "Shigeo's coming back!"

And then everything went white.


	37. The Final Goodbye FINALE

**A/N: Hey guys this is it! The final chapter! I'll leave more info in the author's note below, but yeah, thanks for sticking around!**

* * *

Mob was crying.

Reigen and Serizawa were behind me as I kneeled beside my brother, patting his back. He was ugly crying, snot covering his face. Around us, the city was destroyed, but we ignored that for the meantime. Shigeo had been rejected by Tsubomi, and was in tears. And what kind of sister would I be if I didn't comfort him?

"Bro, it's okay," I told Shigeo, gently. "You were too good for her anyway. One day, you'll meet someone worth your affections."

Shigeo nodded, putting his arms around my shoulders.

"I'm happy for you, Arashi," he said, smiling genuinely. "You're going to do great at that school."

Reigen sat down, patting Mob's shoulder. "Better luck next time, hey?"

Ritsu joined in, a smile on his face. Even Serizawa was smiling.

Perhaps it wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

"You're seriously going to another school?"

I shrugged at Onigawara's question.

"Like you would care," I said.

"I _do_ care," he grumbled. He looked away, faintly blushing. "I mean-"

"Yeah, you don't need to say it," I replied. "I'll miss you too, man."

He folded his arms in a tsundere fashion. I grinned, walking down the school hallways. I saw some members of the Karate Club, who bowed at me.

"Best of luck at your music school, sensei!" they said, brightly.

"Thanks, guys," I said, grinning at them. "You guys keep the club going strong, okay?"

They nodded, before running off. Down the hall, I saw Josh coming towards me, Daizō on his heels. Josh's face lit up when he saw me.

"Arashi!" he yelled, almost barrelling down the halls. "Is it true?!"

"That time I farted in class?" I asked.

Josh gave me a 'seriously?' look.

"Wait, did you actually fart in class?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Damn right I did," I grinned.

Daizō rolled his eyes. "Are you actually going to that music school?"

I nodded, my smile vanishing. "Yeah, I am…"

Josh grabbed my arm. "But that means…"

"I have to quit the band, I know," I sighed. "But… there are plenty of good guitarists in this school. You'll find someone to replace me."

"Yeah, but you're the Fire Angel," Josh said, making a face. "There aren't any other Fire Angels in this school!"

"You guys don't need a Fire Angel to complete the band," I told him. "You just need a good guitarist."

Josh just stared at me blankly. I gave him a hug, and continued walking. Up ahead, I saw Mezato holding up her camera. She waved when she saw me.

"Arashi!" she chorused. "So, I heard you're leaving this school!"

"Everyone has," I said, giving her a blank stare.

"Good luck at that music school," Mezato said. "I heard it's the best one in the entire country!"

"Got that right," I said, grinning. What can I say? I was pretty lucky to go to that school.

"And, um…" Mezato scratched the back of her head, "Sorry if I annoyed you at all…"

"Water under the bridge," I said, shrugging. "It's all cool. I don't want to hold onto drama. Besides, I was kind of a jerk myself."

Mezato gave me another smile, before I continued my walk. I saw many other students, including the Telepathy Club. They waved at me, cheerfully. I was actually kind of happy to see them, so I waved back.

"Good luck!" Tome yelled. "Report if you see anything interesting there!"

"Other than music sheets?" I replied. "We'll see!"

I breathed in, reaching class. One of my last classes before I left the school. I was felt... bittersweet. I was going to miss this school, as much as it annoyed me.

My teacher smiled at me. "Only today and tomorrow left, huh, Kageyama-san?"

I nodded, taking a seat. "Indeed."

* * *

"Ready to go?"

I nodded at Sho as we waited at the train station. The train to Tokyo was arriving in ten minutes, and I was carrying my luggage over my shoulder. My twin brother was helping me, holding some of my bags.

"Nice day, huh?" I said, looking at the sky.

"Yep," Sho agreed. He noticed my expression. "Miss them already?"

"Don't bring them up," I sighed, clenching my fists. "I'll start sobbing."

Sho patted my shoulder.

"Mom said she wouldn't have been surprised if you said no," he said. "I told her how much you care about your friends… and your, uh, brothers."

Even now, recognising that Shigeo and Ritsu were my adoptive brothers was an awkward topic for Sho, but I couldn't blame him. If he'd had two adoptive sisters, I would've felt awkward too.

"Well, I need to get away from it all," I replied. "I love this city, don't get me wrong, but I've always wanted to go to Tokyo. And besides, this school is the best music school in the entire country! My career could go off from there!"

Sho nodded. "I bet it could."

Suddenly, I sensed a wave of psychic energy. I perked up, looking around.

"Did you feel that?" I asked Sho.

Sho stared at me blankly. "Feel what?"

"That energy," I said, folding my arms. "There's an esper around here."

"Is there?" Sho asked, tilting his head.

I gave him a look. "Do you know something I don't?"

Sho smiled mischievously.

Then, out of nowhere, confetti came flying over my head. A figure in dark clothing did some kind of black flip, landing in front of me.

"Ritsu?" I asked, surprised.

"Thought we wouldn't let you go without a send-off?" he asked, grinning.

I looked away, wiping confetti off my shirt. "Bro…"

"SURPRISE!" Josh shouted, jumping towards me. He hugged me around the middle, almost picking me up.

"Ack!" I jumped back, before slowly returning the hug. Daizō, standing behind him, gave me a nod.

"Come here, you," I said, dragging him into the hug.

"I can't believe I agreed to this…" a familiar voice droned. It belonged to Onigawara, who was leaning against the train station wall.

I walked over to him.

"No hugs," he growled.

"Fist-bump, then," I said.

We traded a fist-bump. He blinked like he was about to start crying, before turning away with a scowl.

"Get out of here," he told me.

I stuck my tongue out at him. I turned away, to my surprise, seeing Reigen and Serizawa. Himiko was behind Reigen, shuffling anxiously.

"So you're leaving?" Reigen asked.

"Don't act surprised, you already knew," I deadpanned.

Reigen just gave me a cheesy grin.

"Oh, by the way, here's the yen I owe you from all that time ago," he said, handing me a few hundred yen coins. "Don't get yourself into trouble, okay, Sutōmī*?"

I sighed. I had to face it: he would never get my name right. Instead, I turned my gaze to Serizawa, who was friendly as ever. I could always count on him for some smiles.

"Good luck, Miss Kageyama!" he said, grinning at me. "And bright wishes for the future!"

"Thanks," I said, returning his grin. "And to you as well."

"Don't forget about me!" Tome shouted, appearing out of nowhere, making a wacky pose. "I work alongside Master Reigen as well!"

"Seriously?" I asked, staring at her. "Good for you."

"And to you too," Tome said, giving me a grin.

My smile faltered when I saw Himiko.

"So," I said, glowering at her.

She smiled sweetly at me. "Yes, dear friend?"

"One day, I'll come back for you," I told her. "Until then, sit there and look pretty."

Himiko just continued to smile at me. I walked away, and faced my parents. The ones that had loved and cared for me since... well, almost forever.

"Good luck, dear," Mom said, hugging me. "I'm so proud of you."

"Knock 'em dead, darling," Dad told me, giving me a wink.

I grinned at them. "Thank you. You were the best parents I could've asked for."

I noticed Teruki, who had his arms crossed.

"I'll miss you, weirdo," he told me.

"Same to you, bigger weirdo," I retorted, flicking his nose.

"Come back when you can control those flames," he said, making a weird face.

I rolled my eyes, folding my arms. "Come back when you get a better hairstyle."

I walked over to Ritsu, who grinned at me.

"Wish we could've made up earlier," I told him, laughing sadly.

"Me too," Ritsu said, scratching his head. "But there's no time like the present."

We gave each other a firm hug. It was hard to let go.

"I miss you already," I said, my throat choked up.

"Me too," Ritsu smiled. "Text me every day."

"Of course I will," I said, grinning at him. "You keep an eye on the school, Mr. President."

Then, of course, last but not least, was Shigeo.

I reached out towards him. "Big bro…"

Shigeo enveloped me in a hug. "You're going to do great, Arashi. I know you will."

I continued to hug him, even as the train pulled into the station. It was even harder to let go of him.

"You well as well, Shigeo," I said, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too," Shigeo said, his own eyes watering.

I forced myself to pull away, and grabbed my luggage. Sho stood alongside me.

"I bet you'll be texting them all the time," he sighed.

"You know it," I grinned.

We got on the train, dragging my luggage behind me. I waved to my friends and family. Some were crying. Some were grinning. Some were watching me with mixed expressions.

I choked up. How long would it be before I saw them again?

I began to sob.

"BYE!" I shouted, feeling tears slip down my cheeks. "I'LL MISS YOU ALL!"

"BYE, RITSU!" Sho yelled. "AND RITSU'S BROTHER!"

"STAY STRONG, SHIGEO!" I yelled. "I KNOW YOU CAN! AND ONIGAWARA, STOP BEING AN IDIOT!"

I ignored Onigawara making a fist at me. Teruki grinned, pretending he wasn't crying. Josh was still crying, and Daizō was holding his hand. Reigen was standing with his arms crossed, and Serizawa and Tome were waving. Both of my parents were smiling with pride.

"Ready to face the world?" Sho asked, as the train started to move.

"Damn right," I agreed, sitting down. I continued waving at my friends and family as the train pulled out of the station. The pain was settling in already.

My fists trembled.

"Hey, don't worry," Sho told me. "You'll see them again."

He was right. I would. But for now, it was time to focus on the future. After all, I was strong enough to handle myself, and I knew Shigeo was as well.

I leaned against the window, breathing in.

I got my happy ending after all.

* * *

***This word translates to 'stormy' in Japanese. Arashi's name means storm, so it's a play on that.**

**Well that's it, that's the finale! That's all folks! Thank you so much for reading this story, whether you were reading from the start, or joined in later. It's been a long journey, but I'm glad it's over. XD Will this story have a sequel? Nah. I've got other things to work on. However, I might write an epilogue, where Arashi reunites with everyone a few years later. Would you guys like to see that? Let me know, and I'll consider it. Will I be writing anymore MP100 fanfics? Honestly.. probably not. Same argument as before. But yeah, I hope you enjoyed reading this story, and thanks for sticking along for the whole ride! **


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